The Academy of the Holy Cross welcomed 40 students into the World Languages honor societies–Société Honoraire de Français (French Honor Society), Societas Honoraria Linguae Latinae (Latin Honor Society), and Sociedad Honoraria Hispánica (Spanish Honor Society) during a special induction ceremony on Monday, May 21. These students have demonstrated excellence in their study of World Languages over several consecutive semesters.

President Katy Prebble welcomed the students and families attending the ceremony. Students then read prayers in each of the three world languages. As students were inducted they lit candles as a symbol of their commitment to and love of learning a world language. Students also received certificates of membership in the societies. To conclude the ceremony, Principal Melissa Huey-Burns gave congratulatory remarks.

Sociedad Honoraria Hispánica (Spanish)

Societas Honoraria Linguae Latinae (Latin)

Société Honoraire de Français (French)

Holy Cross received recognition for the 2018 WCAC All-Conference Teams in Lacrosse and Softball.

WCAC Lacrosse Girls' All-Conference Teams
First Team: Mary Muldoon '18 (Attack)
Second Team: Alexandra Bruno '19 (Attack), Ashlyn McDonald '19 (Defense)
Third Team: Carleigh Armstrong '20 (Attack), Samantha Galvin '20 (Midfielder), Isabella Fontana '20 (Goalkeeper)
Honorable Mention: Elizabeth Myers '19

WCAC Softball All-Conference Teams
Second Team: Anna Owens '20
Honorable Mention: Caitlin Bendit '20, Allison McCord '20, Emma Nalls '20

On Wednesday, May 23, Holy Cross recognized athletes who played on Spring Sports teams. Each coach presented Most Valuable Player, Most Improved Player, and Tartan awards during the main program and gave individuals recognition in breakout gatherings. The event is organized by Athletic Director Dena Rapoport and the Holy Cross Athletics Office.

The Senior Project internship program has been part of the academic experience at the Academy since 1973. Every year, our seniors research sites, contact sponsors, coordinate the internship responsibilities, manage their 60-hour requirements, communicate with their faculty/staff mentors, and write reflections. The Class of 2018 attended their internships beginning on Monday, May 7. Their internships took place at numerous organizations and businesses in fields such as medicine, education, engineering, law, communications, marketing, social work, journalism, and many others. For some students, Senior Project confirms their career aspirations. For others, it helps them narrow their interests or determine a direction.

On Friday, June 1, seven seniors gave presentations about their Senior Project internships at an all-school assembly.

Kiara Beckham interned at Holy Cross Hospital in the Perinatal and Neonatal Intensive Care Units.
Caroline Floam interned at the Center for Strategic and International Studies.
Lindsay Konz interned at Montgomery County Courts in the courtroom of Judge Terry McGann.
Brigid McGroarty interned at Maggie O'Neil Design.
Nya Myrie interned with children in special education classes at Garrett Park Elementary School.
Sharvari Puri interned at the University of Maryland Mechanical Engineering Lab.
Jordan Shuck interned with a nursing unit at Medstar Washington Hospital Center.

(L-R) Seniors Sharvari Puri, Caroline Floam, Jordan Schuck, Kiara Beckham, Lindsay Konz,
Brigid McGroarty, Nya Myrie

Kiara Beckham '18 is featured in the Catholic Standard's recent edition highlighting graduating students from area Catholic high schools. The article focuses on Kiara's hope for a career in women's health and how her Senior Project supported her plans. Kiara interned at Holy Cross Hospital in the High Risk Perinatal Unit and Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. The article quotes Kiara saying, "I'm going to school for biomedical engineering, and I want to work in women's health. That's why I gravitated to this opportunity, to understand what doctors and nurses go through and what's demanded of them during the day."

Additionally, Kiara spoke about being part of the all-girls environment at Holy Cross and how that helped her to take on leadership roles. "This school has given me a lot of confidence. The community wants the best for you. What you have to say is important, and say it with conviction."

Kiara will attend Union College in Schenectady, NY in the fall, where she will study biomedical engineering and Spanish and will play on the women's golf team.

Read the entire article here.

Photo by Jaclyn Lippelmann, Catholic Standard

The 116 girls in the Class of 2018 celebrated their graduation from the Academy with ceremonies to mark the occasion. This class earned over $14,000,000 in scholarships from the colleges to which they were accepted—a record amount in the Academy's history.

The Cap and Gown Honor Awards ceremony took place on Thursday, May 31. The seniors were recognized for their numerous accomplishments. Two students, Nya Myrie '18 and Elizabeth Haywood '18 were recognized with Social Justice awards. Claire Guarini '18 took the Naval ROTC Commissioning Oath of Office delivered by her father William, who is a Navy officer. Valedictorian Brigid Johnston '18 and Salutatorian Chewon "Chelsea" Kwak '18 received honor medals for their accomplishments. To conclude the program, Senior Class President Sydney Bruno '18 gave a final address to the assembly.

On Sunday, June 3, the Holy Cross community gathered at Holy Redeemer church in Kensington, MD, for Baccalaureate Mass. During the Preparation of Gifts, graduates carried mementos from significant activities, academics, clubs, etc. in remembrance of their time at Holy Cross.

On Monday, June 5, the Commencement ceremony took place at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception. Members of the 50^th anniversary Class of 1968 walked in the procession.

In Chelsea's salutatory address she reflected on the ways in which Holy Cross helped her to broaden her perspective. She said, "the Academy has given me and all of us the opportunity to learn more about each other and investigate new ideas and world views, ones we may agree with and ones we may not."

In Brigid's valedictory address she spoke about the solid bonds she feels among her classmates even though they may not be together physically any longer. "High school is a starting point on the path to knowing ourselves, and now we are leaving for the next part of that journey."

Sylvia Cole Mackey '59 delivered the commencement keynote address. In her moving speech, she shared from her own educational experience which included attending a segregated public primary school in Washington, DC. She spoke about how impactful her Holy Cross education was in her life and how important a solid educational foundation is today. She also offered words of advice to the graduates as they venture forward to college and beyond.

Following the conferring of diplomas, President Kathleen Prebble and Principal Melissa Huey-Burns presented The Cardinal's Award (Kathryn von Heeringen '18), the Sister Grace Award (Jeannie Cyrus '18 and Theresa Brogan '18), the St. André Bessette Citizenship Award (Samantha Miller '18), the Spes Unica Award (Mary Muldoon '18 and Samantha Miller '18), and the Sisters of the Holy Cross Award (Grace Mulkins '18).

At the conclusion of the ceremony, the graduates met family and friends outside the Basilica in the beautiful spring weather.

See additional details about the Class of 2018 here.

Alexandra Bruno '19 and Mary Muldoon '18 have been named 2018 All-Met Honorable Mention players in The Washington Post.

Mary plans to play Lacross at Penn State in the fall.

See the full listing here.

Mary Muldoon '18 and Alexandra Bruno '19

After being named Miss Maryland USA in 2017 and Miss Charm of the Chesapeake earlier this year, Adrianna David '12 has been named the 2018 representative from the Miss Maryland Organization to represent the state of Maryland at the Miss America Competition in September. "I am so grateful God has given this to me," she said.

Adrianna is currently enrolled at the University of Maryland as a double-degree in Theatre and Communication Studies. She is also an alumna of the Alpha Upsilon chapter of Alpha Chi Omega sorority. Adrianna is Co-Founder of Charities Angels, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization which promotes and raises awareness at various events for charitable partners. The organization is comprised of "women committed to giving from the heart to those in need through fund raising efforts." As a student at Holy Cross, Adrianna was involved in Campus Ministry and performing arts, and was on the dive team. She was also a competitive cheerleader for over 13 years. She was voted American Cheerleader Magazine's 2011 Cheerleader of the Year. Adrianna was a special guest speaker for the 2017 Hair Donation Drive at Holy Cross.

Rock wall climbing has been a passion for Megan Lynch '16 since she was 10. As a student at Holy Cross, Megan was nationally ranked for her age group in Bouldering, where the athletes scale walls up to 20 feet high with no ropes and crash pads underneath. In addition to national competitions she has competed in two previous world championships. On Friday, June 22, Megan won the 2018 FISU World University Championship for Bouldering in, making her the best climber in her age group in the category. The competition took place in Bratislava, Slovakia at the end of June.

Preetam "Pree" Bhutani '20 worked as an Election Judge for the Primary Election Day in Maryland on Tuesday, June 26. In preparation for the primary, Pree attended trainings and worked with her team to set up the polling location the night before the election. She then reported to the polls at 5:45 am and was responsible for assisting voters with voting equipment and overseeing election procedure throughout the polling place. Pree has volunteered as a Student Election Aide since the 6th grade and her volunteer experience led to this opportunity. She describes her experience as challenging, interesting and personally rewarding and is looking forward to working in the November midterm elections.

The Academy recently welcomed 15 Sisters of the Holy Cross who were visiting the area from around the world. The visitors included sisters from Bangladesh, India, Uganda, Peru, Brazil, and the United States, who work in a variety of ministries including education, pastoral care, health care, and administration. Their trip to Holy Cross included lunch with staff, a tour of the school – including the 150^th Anniversary Heritage Hall, and a presentation by President Katy Prebble. The visitors also met informally with girls from the Class of 2019, who were on campus for the Application Academy seminar.

Sisters of the Holy Cross with President Katy Prebble

The Academy recently welcomed 15 Sisters of the Holy Cross who were visiting the area from around the world. The visitors included sisters from Bangladesh, India, Uganda, Peru, Brazil, and the United States, who work in a variety of ministries including education, pastoral care, health care, and administration. Their trip to Holy Cross included lunch with staff, a tour of the school – including the 150th Anniversary Heritage Hall, and a presentation by President Katy Prebble. The visitors also met informally with girls from the Class of 2019, who were on campus for the Application Academy seminar.

Sisters of the Holy Cross with President Katy Prebble

Applying to college can be a daunting process for a high school senior. Holy Cross helps alleviate the stress on our seniors with Application Academy, coordinated by the College Counseling office, that took place August 7-10. During the seminar, the 67 seniors completed the Common Application, created a college resume, received feedback on their personal statements, and took mock interviews with college admission counselors from 18 colleges.

"I thought Application Academy was incredibly helpful for getting a head-start in the application process, says Josephine "Jo" Matta '19. "It was very enlightening to be able to see the process from the perspective of multiple admission's officers, as well as to receive their help with our applications. Application Academy has definitely relieved some of my stress and confusion with the college application process."

Application Academy launches the college application season. The College Counseling office organizes 150 visits to the Academy by college representatives, meeting nights for juniors and seniors, and a College Day for the entire school. Juniors and their parents/guardians meet directly with one of the College Counselors in the spring and throughout the application process. They counselors also visit dozens of college campuses around the globe every year and maintain relationships with college admissions representatives.

New Faculty/Staff with President Katy Prebble and Principal Melissa Huey-Burns

We are excited to welcome our new faculty/staff members.

John Sullivan is the new Assistant Principal for Academics. Mr. Sullivan brings a wealth of experience in school administration including curriculum design, administration, and professional development. He most recently served as Director of Curriculum and Instruction at Holy Trinity Episcopal School in Glenn Dale, MD. There he designed and implemented an update to Holy Trinity's curriculum to fit the needs of their community which included a Project Based Learning initiative. Prior to this, Mr. Sullivan was a fellow at the Center for Inspired Teaching BLISS (Building Literacy in Social Studies) in partnerships with District of Columbia Public Schools (DCPS). He also taught high school social studies for eight years. Mr. Sullivan has a Graduate Certificate in School Administration and Supervision from Johns Hopkins University, a Master of Arts in Teaching from Mount Saint Mary's University, and a Bachelor of Arts in History with a minor in political science from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte.

Rebecca Philbrick is the new Director of the Saint Mary's Resource Program. Ms. Philbrick has B.S. in Social Work from Southern Illinois University and an M.S. in Social Work from The Catholic University of America. She also completed the Educational Specialist certificate program from George Washington University. Ms. Philbrick comes to us from the Charles E. Smith Jewish Day School where she served as a Guidance Counselor and Support Specialist.

Meighan Avalos is the new Associate Director of College Counseling. Ms. Avalos received her Bachelor of Arts from High Point University in Human Relations and a Master of Education in Higher Education from Northeastern University. She comes to us with an array of college admissions experience. Having spent three years at her alma mater, High Point University, Ms. Avalos recruited candidates across the country from a vast geographic network. She also managed the HPU ambassador program, which was comprised of over 80 students.

Beth Hagler is the new Athletic Trainer. Ms. Hagler has worked with Select Physical Therapy in Fairfax for the past six years. She has a B. S. in Athletic Training and a M.S. in Exercise and Sports Physiology from West Chester University.

Anissa Wills is the new Executive Assistant for Ms. Huey-Burns. She has served as an Administrative Coordinator for Maret School for the past nine years. Ms. Wills holds a B.S.W. in Social Work from The Catholic University of America.

Maria-Rose Youstra Cain '79 joins the Technology Department. Ms. Cain was a programming instructor at Montgomery College for 17 years. She comes to us most recently as the Middle School Science and Math teacher at St. Martin's. Ms. Cain received her Bachelor of Science in Computer Science from Xavier University.

Virginia Clifford-Weiss joins the English Department. Ms. Clifford-Weiss received her Bachelor of Arts in English and her Master of Arts in English from California State University, Long Beach. She spent the last few years teaching English at Saint John Bosco High School in California. Ms. Clifford-Weiss was also a composition instructor at California State University.

Carmen Gutierrez joins the World Languages Department. Ms. Gutierrez comes to us with 11 years experience in Montgomery County Public Schools. Ms. Gutierrez holds a Master of Education from the Universidad Del Este in Puerto Rico.

Rene Pulupa joins the Math Department. Mr. Pulupa received his Bachelor of Arts in Math Education from the University of Maryland and his Master of Science in Operation Research at George Washington University. Mr. Pulupa comes to us with over 25 years' experience teaching Math at the college and high school levels, most recently from the Montgomery County Public School system.

Frank Rieger joins the Theology Department. Mr. Rieger is a Ph.D. candidate at The Catholic University of America. He received his Bachelor of Arts in English Literature and Religious Studies from Loyola University, New Orleans and his Master of Theological Studies from Duke University Divinity School. He has served as a Teaching Assistant at The Catholic University for the past four years.

Holy Cross Faculty/Staff enjoyed many different experiences this summer!

Liz Creamer visited 15 States and read 15 historical fiction novels in preparation for her U.S. History class.

Anna Dettbarn participated in a week-long Advanced Placement Summer Institute for AP Psychology in Fairfax, VA. The workshop presents the curriculum structure, methods and grading of the AP psychology course and exam. The course also gave the participants the opportunity to interact with colleagues and discuss issues, concerns and best practices in the field.

Maria Effertz and her family spent three weeks in northern Spain visiting her husband's family. We were in both Asturias and Galicia. While there they also hiked for a small portion of the Camino de Santiago pilgrimage.

Dave Geiser attended the two-week, Project Lead the Way, Principles of Engineering course at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County. The course covers statics, fluid dynamics, thermodynamics, kinematics, electrical circuits, robotics, and programming. He is looking forward to teaching this new course this year.

Beth Hagler travelled to Israel for 10 days where she volunteered as an Athletic Trainer with Team USA Women's Soccer teams in the Maccabi Youth Games. These games are a way for Jewish athletes from all over the world to come together, make new friends, and compete in athletic competition. After competitions she traveled to many of the well-known sites.

Minie James attended the Summer Meeting of American Association of Physics Teachers, a four-day seminar in Washington DC, where she worked with a team of international educators. The seminar included interesting tours and workshops.

Rusty McCrady served as an adjunct with Johns Hopkins University School of Education, where he supervised an intern teacher at Katherine Thomas Treatment and Learning Center in Rockville. Additionally, he and his wife traveled the Danube River, from Budapest to Nuremberg.

Damon McGraw and his wife traveled across Austria and Switzerland for two weeks traveling by train. They visited Vienna, Salzburg, Zurich, Lucerne, Interlaken, Montreux, and Geneva.

Katy Prebble traveled Sicily with former parent Lisa Stacy and alumna Allie Stacy '11.

In addition to teaching at the Holy Cross Summer Stock program, Donna Reese spent 10 days in Orlando, FL at a dance convention/competition workshop. She also spent 10 days touring Switzerland, via train, which included the Glacier Express. She visited her mother in California and attended a wedding in South Carolina.

Stephanie Rickards married Devon Banks, a high school science teacher on June 24, 2018 at The Villa in Beltsville, MD. Stephanie and Devon met their freshmen year of college. For their honeymoon, they went overseas for a two-week tour of the UK.

Casey Robertson took a road trip to Colorado, went up Pike's Peak, visited a Wolf Conservation and a Sled Dog Facility. All super applicable to curriculum in the Science Department.

Chelsea Christensen attended the Biennial Conference on Chemical Education at the University of Notre Dame.

Lindsey Tonks and Alison Dean presented at the National Coalition for Girls' Schools Global Forum on Education in June. They shared with fellow educators how Holy Cross utilizes performance-based assessments and how to implement PBAs in the classroom.

Holy Cross students had some exciting experiences this summer!

Seren Avenilla '21 volunteered on the Montgomery County Teen Court with the Juvenile Division of the State's Attorney's Office. Teen Court is a diversion program offered to first-time juvenile offenders in which they admit to their involvement in an offense and agree to have their case heard before a peer jury of Teen Court student volunteers in a court setting. Seren served as volunteer juror where she helped decide the appropriate disposition for cases before the court. In addition to hearing court cases, Seren also learned about the justice system through presentations by judges and attorneys.

Laila Flores '21 participated in the ChemSTAR Program at Xavier University in New Orleans, LA. ChemSTAR is a rigorous three-week problem-solving and inquiry-based pre-Chemistry course for select high school students. Laila was one of 70 high schoolers chosen from across the country to participate in this very fast-paced and prestigious summer program.

Luciana Rieke '19, Megan Locraft '22, Hadleigh Locraft '20, Fiona Sheridan '20 and Seren Avenilla '21 attended Encounter, The Gospel of Life Service Camp. Encounter is an intense volunteer camp and a deeply spiritual retreat. They attended as part of the Youth Ministry from St. Rose of Lima. During the program the group stayed at the University of Maryland. Their volunteer jobs took them all over the DC area.

Camille Schmidt '19 attended the UConn Pre-College Summer program at the University of Connecticut where she attended lectures and labs in the Kinesiology branch of pre-med and in Marine Biology as pre-vet training.

Katherine "Katie" Stach '22, who is a competitive softball pitcher traveled to University of Notre Dame for a three-day softball camp in July. During the camp Katie met with the head softball coach, Deanna Gumpf for pitching analysis.

Mira Varghese '19 volunteered for a candidate's campaign for Montgomery County City Council. She helped distribute flyers, and on voting day, she and Dulmi Ratnasiri '19 visited designated voting centers to hand out literature. Mira also volunteered at a museum in Washington, DC and helped distribute food on St. Thomas to victims recovering from Hurricanes Irma and Maria.

Samantha Miller '18 was selected for the marching band at University of Notre Dame. Samantha played trumpet for four years at Holy Cross. Her proud mother Kathy Miller writes, "She is so grateful for all the lessons she learned at Holy Cross. Along with the skills she learned in the ever-growing music program, she learned the determination, hard work, and the courage that it took to try out and make the band."

Be sure to watch the Notre Dame games to see Samantha in the band!

Anna Avila '22 qualified for the USA National Championship Youth Elite Triathlon race held on Saturday, August 4 in West Chester, OH. She placed in the top 20 overall out of 74 other girls age 13-15, with the fastest bike split of the race. Anna also competed in the USA Triathlon Maryland High School State Championship race on Sunday, August 5 in Cascade, MD. She completed a 750m swim, 24k bike, and 5k run to finish only a few minutes short of the course record. Not only did she win the Maryland girls high school state championship, but she also won the overall race among all women. In July, Anna placed 8th in the USA Cycling Amateur Road National Championship Time Trial among junior women 13-14 years old. Anna looks forward to running with the Academy's cross country team, as well as swimming for Tartans this coming winter.

President Katy Prebble, Belane Ayelework '19, Sara Melley '19, Principal Melissa Huey-Burns

Two students in the Class of 2019, Belane Ayelework and Sara Melley, have been named Commended Students in the 2019 National Merit Scholarship Program. Commended Students earned a national Selection Index score of 212 or higher among more than 1.6 million students who entered the 2019 competition by taking the 2018 Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT). Approximately 34,000 Commended Students throughout the nation are recognized for their exceptional academic promise.

Belane and Sara were recognized during the all-school assembly on Monday, September 10.

President Katy Prebble, Sister Adria Connors, Sister Mary Tiernan,
Sister Kathy Johnson, and Sister Ruth Marie Nickerson '61

Four Sisters of the Holy Cross were welcomed at our Holy Cross Day Mass on Friday, September 14—the Church's Feast of the Exultation of the Cross. Sister Adria Connors is a former faculty member and current member of the Board of Trustees, Sister Mary Tiernan currently works at Holy Cross Hospital, Sister Kathy Johnson is a former faculty member and Campus Minister, and Sister Ruth Marie Nickerson '61 is a Holy Cross alumna and former member of the Board of Trustees.

We are grateful to the Sisters of the Holy Cross for their rich legacy! Ave Crux Spes Unica.

(Top L-R) Christine Clark '12, Missy Eaton '88, Kristen Falcinelli '14
(Bottom L-R) Casey Fletcher '09, Sofia Alfonso '11, Kellie Looney '10

Holy Cross has six alumnae coaches serving this year in our Athletics program: Casey Fletcher '09 (Varsity Field Hockey Head Coach), Melissa McMahon Eaton '88 (JV Field Hockey Head Coach), Christine Cunningham Przybysz '09 (JV Field Hockey Assistant Coach), Christine Clark '12 (JV Soccer Assistant Coach), Kristen Falcinelli '14 (Varsity Volleyball Assistant Coach), and Sofia Alfonso '11 (Head Crew Coach). Additionally, Kellie Looney '10 is the Assistant Athletics Director and JV Lacrosse Coach.

Coach Casey Fletcher '09 played Field Hockey and Lacrosse as a student at Holy Cross with numerous WCAC Championships in both sports. She was a 2008 First Team and 2007 Second Team All-American in Field Hockey and played in the All-Star game as a senior. Casey played Field Hockey and Lacrosse at Elizabethtown College all four years, where she helped the Blue Jays earn MAC Lacrosse title victories in 2010, 2012, and 2013.

Coach Melissa McMahon Eaton '88 is coming from a professional career in sales for the last 29 years, where she has developed, implemented and coached sports programs in field hockey, tennis and basketball. Currently she is the U19 Age Group Coordinator and Recruiting Coordinator in the Warhawks Field Hockey Club, getting girls to the next level of play.

Christine Cunningham Przybysz '09 is excited to take on the role of Assistant Coach for JV Field Hockey. Coach Przybysz recently began her journey in the education field. She is so excited to be back in coaching at her alma mater!

Christine Clark '12 graduated from Salisbury University in 2016 where she played soccer all four years. Christine is excited to come back home to Holy Cross where her soccer roots were planted!

Kristen Falcinelli '14 played on the Holy Cross 2012 and 2013 championship volleyball teams. She then played college volleyball at the University of New England as a starting setter for four years. Previously Kristen has coached Holy Cross volleyball camps and club volleyball in Maine. When Kristen is not coaching, she works for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Engineering Division as an Oceanographic Data Specialist.

Sofia Alfonso '11 rowed for the Holy Cross team for three years, pursuing club crew even after graduating. Excited to return to her Alma Mater, she hopes to bring her knowledge and passion of exercise science and rowing to the team in order to have a safe, fun and educational season.

Visit the Holy Cross Athletics web pages here.