OLP MAGAZINE
L I V I N G O U R FA I T H ACADEMY OF OUR LADY OF PEACE (AUTUMN 2021)
OLP
MAGAZINE
LEADERSHIP Head of School Lauren Lek, Ed.D. Interim Assistant Head of School Aarón González Leadership Team Rivka Bent Shiva Gholami Stephanie Kanaski ’99 Alison Knoll Cara McMahon ’95 Jessica (Goncalves) Occhialini ’88 Inez Odom Sara Osmus Toni Russo Board of Directors Lauren Lek, Ed.D., Head of School Damian McKinney, Board Chair Francesca Castagnola Monsignor Richard Duncanson Clair (Cunningham) Kennedy ’81 Deacon Lane Litke Gayle McMahon Sister Ann Bernard O’Shea, CSJ Carrie Sawyer Michele Schiele ’85 Seanna Thompson ’93, MD Timothy Truxaw Danitza (Ramirez) Villanueva ’98 Sister Maureen O’Connor, CSJ Provincial
MAGAZINE TEAM Contributors: Izzy Barba ’22 Beatriz Cabañas ’13 Lauren Crane ’22 Becca Fink Chrysanthe Frangos ’21 Aarón González Kitzia Gonzalez ’24 Valentina Cabrera Harari ’23 Ryan Martin-Spencer Cassidy Matwiyoff ’22 Cara McMahon ’95 Olivia Shull ’24 Kevin Soares Julia Torres ’22 Katie Wilson Lacey Yahnke ’17 Copy Editor Lisa Danaher Designer Hollis Maloney ’07
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Dear OLP Community, Once again, the campus is alive with the return of students, parents, faculty, staff, alumnae and guests. There is an energy that surrounds us, as we collectively gather together in the majesty of God’s grandeur, seated outside in the Aquinas Amphitheater for our monthly OLP Liturgical Celebrations. At these precious moments, we are one, and all are welcome. If you were to ask students what it means to be part of the faith community here at OLP, any of the following words might be used: love, friendship, service, prayer and sisterhood. Their four years at OLP will place them on a pathway filled with divine mystery. As I spoke with senior, Kyra Martin-Spencer ’22, Dr. Lauren Lek with Annya Apodaca '22 and Valentina Gutierrez '22. she shared that for her, that faith journey has been one that has “honored both the academic and intellectual tradition.” She further went on to say that she has learned that faith is more diverse than she originally thought, including the importance of the inter-relational prayer opportunities alongside the personal prayer moments. As an independent Catholic school, sponsored by the Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet, OLP is blessed with a rich charism handed down by our CSJ sisters, that inspires all we do. In speaking to one of our students, Izzy Barba ’22, she shares that OLP has allowed her to redefine that living her faith, means “faith in action. Faith is expressed in how you share your time, talent and gifts in serving others.” On page 9 of this edition of our OLP Magazine, you can read more from Izzy, along with other students, as they share what it means to gather as a community of faith, and “Live our Faith.” Our Sisters of St. Joseph in Brentwood, state that “Faith in the broader sense is not any specific religious belief but rather an awareness that God is present in our lives. It is an attuneness to the sacred and an openness to the possibilities of a relationship with the Holy” (Reflection, Sisters of St. Joseph, Brentwood, NY). In reading through the articles in this edition, one can see how faith is lived out, beyond just our religious gatherings, to how our CSJ Sisters and students engage with the broader world in which they live. On the front cover is featured one outstanding representative from each class of the Dear Neighbor Service Award that recognizes students who have given over 100 hours of service in one academic year. These four students, like our Sisters, are models of going above and beyond to live out their faith through service to others: Lindsey Danganan ’24, Alexandra Martinez ’23, Camille Kraus ’25, and Lauren Crane ’22. Living out the Sister’s call to service of the dear neighbor without distinction is evidenced by the work of our Gold Award Girl Scouts, featured on page 14, or the meaningful solutions to real-world problems being offered through our all-girls Hackathon, on page 16. Our students are the leaders in their communities, and in our world, much like alumnae Lacey Yahnke ’17, who reported on the Tokyo Olympics, and has been instrumental in helping bring attention and space to more female athletes (page 24). Journeying alongside these 750 incredible young women is the gift of a lifetime! They inspire all of us, students, faculty and staff alike, to live as people of faith, heart, courage and excellence.
Lauren Lek, Ed.D. HEAD OF SCHOOL
Photo Above: photo courtesy of Robyn Scherer Photography Cover Photo: Lindsey Danganan '24, Alexandra Martinez '23, Camille Krause '25, and Lauren Crane '22 are awarded the Dear Neighbor Award.
OLP ALUMNAE SERVING OUR COUNTRY
IN THIS ISSUE AUTUMN 2021
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L I V I N G O U R FA I T H
16 GIRL SCOUTS
H AC KAT H O N
20 MARK YOUR CALENDARS
O U R M I S S I O N STAT E M E N T
Founded and rooted in the Gospel values of the Catholic church and the charism of the Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet, the Academy of Our Lady of Peace empowers young women in an innovative learning environment that honors the individual while fostering community, and develops faith-filled leaders dedicated to the “love of God and the dear neighbor without distinction.”
N O N - D I S C R I M I N AT I O N STAT E M E N T
The Academy of Our Lady of Peace admits students of any color, race, ethnic origin, or faith to all the rights, privileges, programs, and activities generally accorded or made available to students at the school. The school does not discriminate on the basis of color, race, ethnic origin, or faith in the administration of its educational policies, scholarships, financial aid programs, athletic and other school-administered programs. OLP MAGAZINE
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In September, we welcomed the Class of 1971 to the OLP campus to celebrate their 50th Golden Jubilee. The 1971 graduates attended Mass in the OLP Chapel, joined our students for the Homecoming Pep Rally, and gathered in fellowship with one another to reunite and reminisce about their time at Villa Montemar.
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THE YEAR OF ST. JOSEPH By Cara McMahon ’95
T
H R O U G H O U T M Y L I F E , I H AV E
mass in formal ways, humble ways, ordinary ways, but
H A D T H E G O O D FO RT U N E TO
always in ways that no matter where one is from, one can
T R AV E L , L I V E , A N D W O R S H I P
find a home at the Eucharistic table.
I N A VA R I E T Y O F P L A C E S A N D
On December 8, 2020, Pope Francis proclaimed “The
S PAC E S I N T H E WO R L D.
Year of St. Joseph” in his Apostolic Letter, Patris Corde, meaning “with a father’s heart.” The letter was to
When pursuing graduate work I was granted the
commemorate the 150th anniversary of the declaration
opportunity to study in Rome and attend weekly mass
of St. Joseph as the patron of the universal church, and
amidst the richness of religious art and the feeling of
the year will conclude on the Feast of the Immaculate
historical rootedness at the Vatican. When serving the
Conception 2021. Pope Francis wrote this letter during
dear neighbor in Lima, Peru, at a center for children with
the unfolding of the pandemic, inspired by the countless
special needs, I would attend liturgy in Jicamarca where we
workers seeking to serve and keep others safe, without
celebrated on dirt floors with humble wooden benches
distinction. It is in the dignity and grace of St. Joseph that
and altar table, with real neighborly
the Pope seeks to highlight all of
connection. Whenever I visited my
those who go “unnoticed” in their
family in Ireland, I remember going to mass and the priest would speak so quickly that we’d be dismissed
“With St. Joseph as our patron saint, he continues to teach us
work, but whose work seeks to serve others regularly. St. Joseph didn’t require recognition, we don’t even
into the world to live our faith
how to live and love our world
hear much from him in our Scriptures,
within a half hour. Having traveled
more deeply, with a humility,
but rather, he is a model of how
to China over the week of a spring
courageousness, and fervor
break trip, I participated in liturgy on Easter Sunday in Beijing and
that brings about unity and
knew not a word but understood the
transforms our broken world.”
"ordinary people can play incomparable roles in the history of salvation." As a sponsored work of the Sisters of
entire celebration. When working
St. Joseph of Carondelet, this year of
in Chiapas, Mexico with fair trade
St. Joseph is particularly
coffee farmers, I walked into evening mass, unaware that it
meaningful for OLP. St. Joseph, our patron saint, continues
would be a celebration of the sacrament of marriage and
to teach us how to live and love our world more deeply,
was a welcomed guest anyway! How about the few times
with a humility, courageousness, and fervor that brings
that I have been gifted to attend mass at a Black parish in
about unity and transforms our broken world.
New Orleans and seep in the richness of music and call and response! All these experiences are a feeling of home,
Here at OLP, we educate and live the model of servant
home experienced all around the world.
leader, a model that is very much intentional and very much in the spirit of St. Joseph. Living the mission of “we live and
This year, we celebrate St. Joseph the Patron Saint of the
work that all may be one,” we participate in the salvific work
Universal Church. Part of being Catholic, part of being a
of St. Joseph, bringing the Gospel alive in how we love the
Roman Catholic school, is that our Catholic culture and
dear neighbor no matter where we are in the world!
tradition is an experience that is available to us and to all others, all around the world in most every language, culture, and in a variety of ways. Our Church celebrates
Artwork by Br. Mickey McGrath, OSFS. Used with permission.
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Living Our Faith
GATHERING AS A FAITH COMMUNITY O N T H U R S D AY, S E P T E M B E R 1 6 , 2 0 2 1 , T H E O L P COMMU N I TY G AT H E R E D TO C E L E B R AT E our first all-school Mass of the year and first all-school Mass on campus in a year and a half, since Ash Wednesday in February 2020. Father John Amsberry led our Mass of the Holy Spirit in the outdoor Aquinas Amphitheater.
“After enduring a year and a half of our OLP community being separated by virtual and hybrid schedules, it was not until Thursday, September 16, 2021 that we were able to come together and celebrate an all-school Mass; the Mass of the Holy Spirit. There was so much love and joy felt throughout our gathered community, and I could sense the Aquinas Amphitheater overflowing with God’s presence. From the clapping and singing along to the lively music Mr. Tim Foley shared, to the unity during the sign of peace, I felt the strength of the OLP community that I had greatly missed. Seeing all of us back together in-person again for the celebration of the Eucharist was an 8 | OLP MAGAZINE
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uplifting way to start my senior year. As a part of Mr. MartinSpencer’s Liturgical Planning class, one of our main focuses was this gathering aspect: recognizing that not only has it been a while since our last all-school Mass, but that this would also be the first all-school Mass for the frosh and sophomore classes. I am incredibly grateful to be surrounded by my OLP family again for the celebration of God’s love and have the opportunity to welcome our newest members in this way.” - IZZY BARBA '22
OLP Students Committed to Service CAMILLE KRAUS ’25 Every week for the past three years, Camille has been working with the San Diego Refugee Tutoring Program. Camille volunteers with children ages 5-10 helping them to do their homework and practice English. Camille took it upon herself to create a fundraiser to buy a more diverse collection of children's books for the center. Camille says, "My service project... shows that creating Tim Foley led the community in liturgical music.
something that helps spread the love for your neighbor can make a difference
"After spending nearly a year and a half inside my home, my
and create a ripple effect throughout the entire community."
eyes glued to my computer, it was hard to maintain faith in the future of all-school events at OLP. This was until our recent first all-school Mass: the Mass of the Holy Spirit. I helped to organize this event alongside my wonderful Liturgical Planning peers, and it visibly brought joy back into our hearts as we hung up paper lanterns in the trees, organized the readings and songs together, and watched everything unfold terrifically. However, the most rewarding part was glancing over my shoulder and seeing the sea of formal uniforms— my fellow students—standing amongst one another as we gathered as a community of faith to celebrate this delightful reunion. This will be an unforgettable milestone for me in my final year at the Academy, as I’m sure it will also serve as a memorable experience for the underclasswomen." - C A S S I DY M AT W I YO F F ' 2 2
L I N D S E Y D A N G A N A N ’ 2 4 Lindsey has volunteered once per week over the past year at the Hedenkamp Gifted and Talented Education Program. Lindsey has helped create and facilitate curriculum for elementary-aged children where they are encouraged to expand their knowledge and learn new topics. Lindsey shares, "I know that God lives through all creation and, by serving God's children, I am serving God."
ALEXANDRA MARTINEZ ’23 Over the past year, Alexandra has volunteered every Wednesday serving at the Catholic Worker Food Pantry based out of Our Lady of Guadalupe Parish. Alexandra has helped inventory the food, prepare and deliver grocery bags, and serve hot lunches to people experiencing homelessness. Alexandra shares, "[I have learned] that no matter what you are going through, there is always something you can do or give to help others."
LAUREN CRANE ’22 As a frequent volunteer for the San Diego Surfrider Foundation, and a member of their Blue Water Task Force, Lauren is dedicated to advocating and taking action in restoring and protecting our oceans and waterways. As a member of the Blue Water Task Force, Lauren's role is to test water quality on Thursday mornings before school and deliver the samples to a lab for analysis. Lauren shares, "In service, I have learned more about myself, my passions, and my interests than any other activity. That is why service is so important to me and so important to growing my faith."
Students gathered for Mass of the Holy Spirit.
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Living Our Faith
MY FAITH JOURNEY BY KAT I E W I L S O N Service Learning and Retreats Director at OLP As we continue to celebrate the Year of St. Joseph, I have enjoyed spending time reflecting on who St. Joseph is to me and how my faith journey, career path, and daily interactions have been inspired and impacted by the person he was. I am drawn to examples of his humbleness, and his desire to make a positive impact behind-the-scenes, as a true servant leader. As I talk with my current senior students, they are in the midst of making decisions about their futures. I like to remind them that as a high school student, I had no idea what career path would reveal itself to me in the years ahead. I knew that I felt God’s presence through serving others, togetherness, genuine friendships, and intentional community building, but was unsure of where that would lead me. In my college years, my world view was widened through incredible opportunities to travel the world and meet people from all walks of life. During these years I experienced the joys of storytelling from my host sister in rural El Salvador, deep belly laughs over botched translations with children in the Dominican Republic, and the overall power of immersing myself in a culture different from my own, time and time again.
Katie with students on the Peru Immersion.
As I enter my sixth school year working at the Academy, I find deep joy in getting to walk alongside our students as they explore, deepen, and strengthen their own relationships with God. Each student connects with God in such a personal way, whether that is through serving the dear neighbor, social justice advocacy, spending time in God’s Creation, prayerful contemplation, attending Mass, or simply through bringing joy to their loved ones. I am blessed that the same passions from my youth (faith building through retreats, service and cultural immersions) are still the same passions that I get to live out and share each day with our students. As I continue on my own spiritual journey, I feel grateful to work in ministry at OLP, and grateful for St. Joseph, our patron saint whom I can turn to for guidance.
Faculty members Katie Wilson and Sabrina Vasconcelos with students on the East Los Angeles Immersion.
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BY RYA N MA RT I N -S P E N C E R My paternal grandmother Madeline, who wanted to be called Nona by my younger sister and me, faced many challenges throughout her difficult life. Her parents immigrated to the United States from Croatia via Ellis Island in the early 1900s, traveled across the country, and settled in Oakland, California, where Nona and her three siblings were born. From an unstable childhood marked by poverty, to the heartbreak of divorce and having to raise my Dad as a single mother, Nona’s deep Catholic faith sustained her and provided her with strength and community. My own faith journey finds its roots in Nona. Even though she struggled financially as she raised my Dad in Oakland, Nona passed on to him the beautiful gift of faith and willingly made sacrifices so that he could attend Catholic grammar and high school. By the time my parents married and I came into the picture, Nona and her sister had begun to support, look after, and befriend a small community of people who struggled with homelessness in downtown Oakland. On many Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays as I grew up, my Dad and Mom would take my sister and me to Oakland to deliver food to Nona and her sister so that they could share a nice meal with their friends, many of whom struggled with addiction or mental health issues. From an early age, I witnessed firsthand what it meant to put faith into action, to love unconditionally, and to not judge others. Just as Nona passed on the gift of faith to my Dad, so did my Dad pass on the gift of faith to my sister and me. My Mom was not Catholic, but she fully supported my Dad’s commitment to Catholic education for my sister and me. The gift of faith that my Dad bestowed upon us has nourished and filled me in ways that continue to move me deeply. The centrality of faith in my family’s life inspired my Mom to become Catholic, and she asked me to serve as her Confirmation sponsor, which is one of the most humbling honors in my life to this day. It seems to me that God’s love flows beautifully and powerfully within each and every one of us, even if we oftentimes do not realize as much, or we actively try to push it away. For me, faith entails believing in the presence and power of God’s love, especially when life is difficult. Faith invites us to encounter, journey with, and recognize Jesus Christ within all of our neighbors, and particularly within those who are suffering or struggling. Faith challenges us to have the humility and courage to allow others to minister to us and to lift us up when we are suffering or struggling. Faith inspires us to believe that we are never truly alone because of God’s loving presence within us, and because of God’s loving presence within everyone around us, which makes us all co-equal children of God. We all experience difficulties, suffering, and struggles in our lives. The gift of faith that I received from Nona and my Dad has sustained me throughout various intense and tumultuous times in my own life. I hope, like many of my OLP colleagues, for our beloved students to see the world continuously anew through the eyes of faith, hope, and love, where we recognize God’s loving presence flowing in our lives and we discern how the Holy Spirit may be inspiring us to help make God’s love more visible and tangible in our world, especially for those who are marginalized or vulnerable in our midst. It is this gift of faith that my wife and I seek to pass on to and instill within our own children. I can think of no better way to honor Nona, as I envision her praying for and smiling upon us from Heaven. Ryan, Nona, and Kyra ’22 at Christmas in 2004.
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COVID and The Charism
Article reprinted with permission from the May 2021 issue of Carondelet Magazine, a publication of the Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet congregation. csjcarondelet.org
Maintaining Connection Amidst Grief
BY ANN L. THOMPSON
Can the CSJ charism of unifying love, informed by
Libby Costanzo, CSJ
years of life experience, provide context or insight about the global COVID-19 pandemic that we are all experiencing? We spoke with sisters and partners in mission from around the congregation to find out.
“We are learning a lot about patience and loss,” said Sister Libby Costanzo, director of the Community Life Team in Albany. “We have a large house, but the sisters in the infirmary have suffered the
Attentive to the Signs of the Times Adele O’Sullivan, CSJ
“Unifying love in action during a pandemic presents new challenges,” reflected Sister Adele O’Sullivan of the Los Angeles Province Leadership Team. “What does it mean to be a presence of unifying love in a world struggling with health and a fear of this illness while dealing with poverty, racial injustice, and hunger?” “We are called to be attentive to the signs of
most. These sisters can’t leave their rooms or their floors. We lost nine sisters to COVID, many with underlying health issues. It’s been draining and hard, and I think it is affecting their psyche. Many are suffering from depression.” In January 2020, the province facility welcomed PACE (Programs of AllInclusive Care for the Elderly) to provide in-house healthcare. In March, when the pandemic hit, they really saw what a blessing their presence is. “They know the health department and have access to COVID testing and the vaccines,” said Sister Libby. “Regardless of their faith orientation, they pray with us every day at the start of their shift. Technology helps. Virtually we have daily Mass, spiritual readings and entertainment. We’re encouraging people to phone each other. We’re conducting floor chats. My hope is with prayer and cooperation, the sisters
the times. That’s what the first sisters did in Le Puy [France]. What are
can become more relaxed as we find new ways to minister and be with
these times telling us? They’re telling us that the charism is desperately
one another. That’s the basic thing we’ve learned: we’re in this together.”
needed. Our challenge is to find new ways to be present and comfort, console, feed, show mercy, and express it. While we have many sisters who continue active, direct service, not all can. It’s like the pandemic is calling us to something new. We are learning to communicate our charism, presence and unifying love as we’ve never done before by enhancing our social media presence and giving voice in the political arena. We are discovering new ways to be one with the dear neighbor needing spiritual and emotional support. Through it all, we are seeing with new eyes that our charism is more vital than ever.”
Left: Checking temperatures is a frequent occurrence at Carondelet Center in Los Angeles. Here, Sister Carol Louise Smith takes the temperature of Sister Patricia Rose Shanahan. Above: Limited numbers of sisters, including Helen Leclerc (second from right) and Joanne St. Hilaire (right), found ways to safely gather in the Albany chapel last summer.
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Serving the Dear Neighbor
Susan Gehlsen, Executive Director, St. Mary’s Health Clinics In St. Paul, Susan Gehlsen, executive director of St. Mary’s Health Clinics (SMHC), writes, “COVID-19 arrived like a storm and suddenly our work processes were upended. How could we continue to meet the needs of 1,800 families, families already facing steep challenges due to their immigration status and living in poverty, families already at high risk of contracting the virus due to employment and living conditions? How would St. Mary’s Health Clinics respond? “The team at SMHC knew that this vulnerable group relied on SMHC for their healthcare, so it wasn’t a matter of ‘Can we?’ but ‘How will we?’” In less than a week’s time, work processes were modified to accommodate COVID-19 safety precautions while still serving the families in need.
Above: Sister Ida Berresheim attends a COVID-safe vigil for racial justice in St. Louis last summer.. Left top: The Albany Province organized COVID-safe outdoor services, including this one for Sister Joyce Gadoua.
A drive-by medication pick up process was established at three sites, and virtual face-to-face sessions were established with patients. Physicians agreed to oversee medication management and virtual visits, addressing patient needs as they arose. “The COVID-19 adaptation processes implemented by SMHC truly reflect the charism. Services continued for those of great need through the energy and love of a dedicated team by creatively modifying work processes to maximize services to our dear neighbors.”
Making All Things New Donna Gunn, CSJ
“I’ve spent the year in and out of quarantine,” says Sister Donna Gunn, who celebrates 64 years with the community in St. Louis. “Early on, I realized how much Mother St. John Fontbonne’s time was like now — a country divided, an unstable economy, chaotic political upheaval ... The French Revolution dispersed the Sisters; she returned home to stay pretty much quarantined lest she be arrested. Surrounded by death, she surely asked why she was spared. Now I ask myself that same question. Why am I/why are we the ones left behind? Ironically, I’ve spent a year feeling as if nothing was going on in my life; now I grow keenly aware how much has changed. I have learned new ways of gathering, have found new places to worship, have discovered new creative activities and energy. The care I’ve received in this process brings a new appreciation for my many blessings. I also see with new eyes a broken world with so much suffering and the newly poor feeling vulnerable and frightened. As I prepare to leave my ‘prison cell,’ I find myself praying to Mother St. John for the courage to embrace change and find new ways to stretch beyond myself. For me, the pandemic puts me/us on the brink of our own ‘minirefounding.’ ‘Behold, I make all things new.’”
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BY BECCA FINK
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Three OLP Girl Scouts Look Toward Changing the World
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This year, a record 87 young women in San Diego County earned their Girl Scout Gold Award, the highest honor in Girl Scouts. Unsurprisingly, our incredible OLP students were represented with three students earning the award.
“I joined Girl Scouts in kindergarten as a way to meet new people and have fun. Thirteen years later, Girl Scouts has not only given me lifelong friends and a lifetime of memories, but the organization has also gifted me the opportunity to give back to my community, learn valuable leadership skills, and make the world a better place. During my time as a Girl Scout, I discovered my passions for the environment and public service, explored what it meant to be an
Earning a Gold Award isn’t a simple task; it requires dedication, hard work, and drive. To earn the award, a Scout must find an issue in the community or the world that they care about, thoroughly research the issue, form a team of experts who can help, and make a plan to tackle the issue.
effective communicator, and developed the tools to become the most authentic, strong, and kind version of myself. Now as an alumna and Girl Scout Lifetime member, I have the privilege to stay connected with such a powerful network of women who continue to do good around the world. For my Gold Award project, I founded Happy Habitats California, an organization that teaches California third-grade students an entire Next Generation Science Standards unit about the environment, adaptations, local and endangered species, animals, ecosystems, and human effects on the environment. My complete lesson plans and videos were utilized during remote learning as students and
We’ve reached out to our three OLP Scouts to learn more about their projects and the work that went into accomplishing this milestone.
teachers could access them from home through my website and YouTube channel. To date, my materials have been downloaded from the TeachersPayTeachers online educational marketplace more than 200 times. In a lot of ways, OLP and Girl Scouts are very similar. Both provide a welcoming atmosphere where girls can reach their fullest potential, explore interests, assist those in need, and make connections with other talented women. Going to school in such an empowering environment helped me get the most out of Girl Scouts. I was given the confidence to fearlessly work towards my goals both in and outside of school, inspired by the women around me doing the same thing.”
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“I’ve been a Girl Scout since I was in kindergarten, almost thirteen years at this point, and I’ve always valued my time and experience as a Girl Scout. As a Girl Scout, I’ve completed numerous service
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projects and activities that prepared me to earn my Gold Award. People think that the Gold Award is a project that girls do over a couple of months or maybe a year when in fact we’ve been learning the skills to be successful with our projects for much longer than that. For example, when I was in fifth grade my troop built a small library at a school. To do that, we learned how to identify issues. In this case, the issue was illiteracy. For my Silver Award, I learned how to properly address an issue from multiple angles and tackled the issue of Food Waste from both the consumer side and the producer side. For my Gold Award, I addressed the issue of low voter turnout by increasing voter awareness among young people in San Diego County. It was a multi-faceted project and included a Voter Education Toolkit for High School Students in collaboration with the San Diego County Registrar of Voters, workshops to raise voter awareness among future voters, community outreach events, distributing
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information to be posted in storefronts, and a mural in City
H IG H S C H OOL U N IFORM RESA L E EVENTS
Heights--a neighborhood with historically low voter turnout. It wouldn’t have been possible without my community at OLP who supported me and helped to bring the project to life. OLP students helped me to distribute flyers across North Park and
“I’ve been a Girl Scout for eleven years, since first grade.
greater San Diego, came to help paint the mural, and served in
When I joined, all I wanted was to sell cookies. I wanted to be
an initial focus group to help me gauge the student perspective.
the person people came to for the delicious snacks everyone
I was even able to present at an OLP Women in Politics Meeting. Ultimately, the hard work and dedication all paid off as I earned the distinction of being the GSUSA Gold Award Scholarship Recipient from San Diego. I couldn’t have done it without help from my community who made the project possible.”
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seemed to have between February and March. I made it my goal to be one of the best sellers in San Diego and did just that. To date, I have sold almost 6,000 boxes of cookies. Despite joining because of my love for food, I soon realized Girl Scouts felt like home. I love going on service trips, leading younger community members, teaching others, and
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learning new things. Girl Scouts became a place where I could thrive doing all of this. It was my first introduction to serving others, to making a difference in the world around me. It was what fostered my desire to help the community and eventually earn my Gold Award Project. I spent over 140 hours creating the now annual “Resale Uniform Event” at OLP. I persevered and completed this project during a global pandemic. I wanted to take a burden that families experience and make it lighter. Over 100 families purchased uniforms sold at a significant discount, and the first sale generated $4,700. My integrity and desire for positive change led me to use this money to create the “Shine Bright Scholarship.” I wanted to make a student each year feel as though they were worth it, that their effort was recognized, and that they mattered to the world. OLP has strengthened
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my love of service and showed me that following your heart will bring you the most joy. The lessons that Girl Scouts and OLP have taught me make me the person I am today”
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California’s First All-Girls’ Hackathon: Part Two!
BY J OA N N CAYA BYA B ' 2 2 , M A I L L E F LY N N ' 2 2 , E M I K O H I N A ' 2 4 , A N D A I N S L E Y S AVA N T ' 2 3
While planning our second annual OLP Hackathon, we were inspired by the
OLP’s EPICS (Engineering Projects in Community Service) club.
events of the previous year to center it
We chose this theme after thorough research on global health, and
around the theme: Engineering Health in
we were astonished to see that half of the global population does not have access to health care. Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, we wanted to tackle a variety of global health issues that hinder the
the Modern World.
lives of so many people in our world. For us, to engineer world health means to create solutions to make sure that no human, rich or poor, dies of a treatable illness. But who would create these solutions to help our dear brothers and sisters who are suffering? An idea sparked - why don’t we challenge young girls to tackle these problems? Eventually, we devised a plan so that, in the Hackathon, each group of girls in grades 8-12 would be assigned a region of the world to create a tangible device that either prevents one disease in their selected region or helps people living with a disease in their selected region. After months of planning and organizing the event, more than 70 girls from the San Diego region arrived at OLP on Saturday, September 11 for a day full of research and critical thinking. We expected the girls to come up with amazing ideas for their health issues, but we were truly blown away when the presentations came around. Each group completed thorough research on their health issue, and they were able to expertly explain its effects on their region of the world. Their ideas to solve the issues were so innovative, such as creating candles with herbs to prevent hookah smoking in the Middle East and a soil treatment plan to prevent Buruli Ulcers in Australia and Oceania. The winning team thought outside of the box by creating a prototype of a mosquito furnace that could help prevent malaria and yellow fever in Northern Africa. OLP's second annual Hackathon.
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Hackathon 2021 judges panel.
Hackathon participants work together as a team.
As an all-girls high school, we felt that it was important to create and host an all-girls Hackathon because of the underrepresentation of women in STEM fields. Seeing first-hand the innovation and collaboration of these young women gives us hope for the future of the world. As we talked with several of the girls, asking them about how the event went, all of them mentioned that the OLP Hackathon gave them an opportunity to form connections with other girls with similar passions for STEM. They are now more confident in their own talents and feel inspired to give back to the global community. The OLP Hackathon gave these young women the inspiration to continue their journey in the STEM field with trust in themselves, and we can’t wait to see how the OLP Hackathon will continue to be a catalyst for change in the world.
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Our students were thrilled to welcome an audience back in person to watch “Shrek The Musical” in the OLP Aquinas Amphitheatre! The show, based on the Academy Award-winning movie, starred many of OLP’s returning thespians along with a whole new batch of frosh and sophomores. Drama Director Justin Tracy was able to get the help of some incredible local artists, including the choreography of Wilfred Paloma and music direction by Charlie Jirkovsky. A total of 104 students participated! Photos courtesy of Gary Payne
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Mark Your Calendars! Save the date for some of our biggest events! We can’t wait to see you.
FRIDAY FEB. 11 2022
30th Annual Golf Tournament & Spa Day OLP’s 30th Annual Golf Tournament is planned for February and you won’t want to miss this two-course event at Singing Hills Golf Resort at Sycuan. Non-golfers will have the option to enjoy a day at Sycuan’s newly renovated spa and pool before rejoining the golfers for the 30th Anniversary party that evening with live music, dancing, and auction. A la carte tickets for the party will be available at aolp.org/golf.
FRIDAY MAR. 21 2022
FRIDAY MAR. 25 2022
Spring Sing Our annual Spring Sing tradition is back! The event will be held for one night only at the Civic Theater!
OLPWS Save the date for OLP’s Eighth Annual Women’s Symposium! Open to the public, from high school students to seasoned business professionals, the 2022 Women’s Symposium will feature a series of workshops, lectures, and highly curated panels with prominent leaders in their industries.
Alumnae from the Academy of Our Lady of Peace were represented at the 2021 National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences – Pacific Southwest Chapter Emmy Awards. Yanula Ramirez ’07 was a presenter at the event, and Michelle Guerrero ’10 and Sofia Seikaly ’13 won awards! We are so proud of you! S O F I A WO N I N T H E CAT EG O RY: NEWSCAST – WEEKEND – LARGER MARKETS
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M I C H E L L E WO N I N T H E CAT EG O R I ES : H E A L T H / M E D I C A L S H O R T O R L O N G F O R M A T H I S T O R I C A L / C U LT U R A L - S H O R T O R L O N G F O R M AT GRAPHIC ARTS – MOTION GRAPHICS
OLP Student Recognized for Saving Lives In November of 2021, OLP junior, Isabella “Bella“ Flores '23, was recognized by the Citizen CPR Foundation as one of the “40 Under 40” award recipients, as a result of the tremendous impact she has made to increase cardiac arrest awareness, and move the needle forward. Citizen CPR Foundation is a national organization committed to save lives from sudden cardiac arrest by stimulating community, professional and citizens to action. Since its inception in 1987, CCPRF has worked to improve the chance of survival for thousands of victims of sudden cardiac arrest. Working in partnership with the support of its founding partners, the American Heart Association and the American Red Cross, three core values form the basis of CCPRF efforts:
1. We know that CPR and AEC use saves lives. 2. Collaboration among citizens, professionals, communities, and organizations is key to survivial from cardiac arrest. 3. Action based on best practices in science, education, and implementation improves outcomes. The 40 Under 40 awards look to recognize individuals who are today’s innovators, emerging leaders, willing to take action and help create new pathways for saving lives from sudden cardiac arrest. For years, Bella has been instrumental in helping build awareness of heart safety through Project ADAM (Automated Defibrillators in Adams Memory), the Heart Safe School Initiative. This aims to support schools at a national and local level to establish a practiced plan to respond to a sudden cardiac arrest. In addition, Bella worked to secure for OLP, two separate Mini Anne CPR training kits for OLP employees and students, allowing for over 60 trainees at a time!
Top: Isabella “Bella” Flores '23 Bottom: OLP receives CPR training kits.
As a result of this recognition, Bella will be featured Nationally, and receive the 40 Under 40 award at the Citizen CPR Foundation Cardiac Arrest Survival Summit later this year. OLP MAGAZINE
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OLP Frosh Shine on Varsity Volleyball Team BY KEVIN SOARES
ATHLETICS
This season, several OLP Frosh have joined the Varsity Volleyball team. We reached out to these students to learn more about their experience.
Amanda Prior: So far I have loved my experience on varsity volleyball
Zoe Pabarcus: My experience as a freshman on varsity volleyball has
as a freshman. It has been an amazing experience for me and has
been great. Going into the beginning of the season I was anxious
strengthened my mental and physical game as a volleyball player. I
thinking that I wouldn't be welcomed by the upperclassmen. But
feel accepted and supported by my upperclassmen teammates, and
I was pleasantly surprised to see that
I think this is a great example of the sisterhood at OLP. Being on this
have never felt so accepted by a group of girls before. Everyone is
it is the exact opposite. I
high school volleyball team has helped
overwhelmingly kind and doesn't see
me make so many new friends and
us as just “freshman”; they see us as a
become involved in my school during
part of the team. What I love about the
my first few months at OLP. I am happy
high school sports environment is that
to say that being on this volleyball team
everyone is equal no matter their age.
has introduced me to my closest friends
I have made some of my best friends
at OLP or helped me grow closer to the
through high school volleyball and am
ones I already knew. I am really grateful
forever grateful for this opportunity.
for having this opportunity to play on a Madeira da Luz: Being a freshman on
varsity volleyball team freshman year.
varsity has been an amazing experience.
Jocelyn Hammerstrand: Going into the
Before the season, I was nervous about
season I didn’t know what to expect. I
playing with upperclassmen, but every
had always heard from people previously,
one of my teammates was extremely
that freshmen weren't welcome or seen
welcoming to me and helped me fit in
as equal at first, especially on sports
right away. I will always cherish the on and
teams. In my experience this stereotype
off court experiences with my teammates,
is very wrong. I truly feel that despite
who have become some of my best
the age gap between my upperclassmen
friends. Playing varsity volleyball has
teammates and me, we get along like
allowed me to get involved with the OLP
there isn’t one. Maybe this is how it is
community right away and has been super
at most schools, but I believe that it also
fun. I am looking forward to the next three
has to do with the spirit and sisterhood
years with my awesome teammates.
of OLP. I would like to specifically owe my positive experience to the three
Gabriella Syrios: Joining the varsity
seniors on our team: Grace Gadler,
volleyball
Claire Poinsett, and Gabrielle Baldeaux.
experience. Going into varsity volleyball
I remember a time before practice when
Jocelyn Hammerstrand '25 (top left), Amanda Prior '25 (left), Zoe Pabarcus '25 (middle), Madeira da Luz '25 (right), Gabriella Syrios '25 (top right).
team
was
such
a
great
as a freshman I didn't know what
one of them said that one of their goals as a senior was to treat
to expect. I am overjoyed to find that everyone, including the
underclassmen equally and with kindness, and they have really shown
upperclassman, has been so welcoming. I have made great friends
that to me and the other freshman.
and will cherish this experience for years to come.
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Childhood Friends Prepare to Pursue Collegiate Soccer The possibility of a collegiate athletic opportunity is one that many students can only dream of. However, for Haley Phillips '22 and Sarah Melcher '22, their pathway through soccer resulted in just that! Their days playing side by side on the fields across San Diego, then proudly sporting the OLP Pilot soccer jersey throughout high school, have led to Haley Phillips '22 committing to play college soccer at Yale and Sarah Melcher '22 committing to play D1 soccer at Baylor University. In reflecting on their journey from those early childhood days, to the excitement that lies ahead, both admit that they really didn’t begin to think about collegiate athletics until around four years ago. Although soccer had been a significant part of their lives, the possibility of playing at the college level became real only as they entered OLP. For Haley, that would mean placing school and soccer as top priorities. Despite making many sacrifices in high school in order to excel in both, she says, “I still had so much fun.” Haley will always look back fondly on those special moments with her team, the nerves before an important game, and the importance of being a good teammate. The significance of working as a team, she believes, will serve her for the remainder of her life, well beyond her time on the soccer field.
Sarah also looks back at her OLP soccer memories as ones that have positively shaped her for her future. In thinking about her academic and soccer achievements, she says that she recognized early the necessity of a meticulous daily plan in order to balance school work and athletics. Sarah shared that “it is totally doable to be involved in school sports and have a social life.” While Haley attributes her success to a diligent mindset, allowing her to remain focused throughout these past four years, Sarah believes that her competitive mindset led to success both on the field and off. It also resulted in her ability to find a deep joy and passion in the game, beyond just seeing it as a job. In considering what advice she would give to her fellow Pilots, Sarah encouraged others to not lose sight of the why. She shared, “You have to enjoy what you do because that’s when the game becomes fun.” Haley acknowledged the challenges involved in balancing studies and athletics but ultimately, “It is all worth it in the end.” As we look at these two incredible childhood friendships, on the field and off, their journey reminds us that our dreams are within reach, when we have the courage to go for them!
Haley Phillips '22 (left) and Sarah Melcher '22 (right).
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OLP Alumna
REPORTING ON THE TOKYO OLYMPICS
F
BY LACEY YAHNKE ’17
ive summers after I walked across the Academy of Our Lady of Peace graduation
stage, a dream of mine came true. This past July, I covered four sports in the Tokyo 2020 Olympics for NBC Sports as a member of the Editorial Research team, and ultimately contributed to the largest sports media event in history.
For some context on just how extensive this experience was, nearly 4,000 employees worked on NBC Sports’ production of the Tokyo Games, across three continents, on a 24-hour news cycle, for 16 days straight. Against the backdrop of a global pandemic that caused a year-long postponement, this was an Olympic feat unlike any other. I contributed research, storytelling, and statistical analysis for baseball, softball, surfing, modern pentathlon, and distance track and field, alongside a small team of gifted journalists. Looking back on it now, I always knew I wanted sports to be in my life forever. Growing up, I really did live, eat, breathe, and sleep sports. My playground became the baseball diamond, the soccer pitch, the rubber track. My teammates became my closest friends, and my future aligned with my identity as an athlete. Not only did I fall in love with competing, I also found passion in the grind of hard work, self-growth, and teamwork. That passion took shape on the OLP campus. Donning the Pilot powder blue and representing the Academy for four years cemented the belief that I could achieve anything I set my heart on, in sports and beyond.
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One of my favorite roles during the Olympic Games was my involvement with On Her Turf, a live studio show and digital news site, produced on NBC Sports’ network, that highlighted the female athletes and their achievements in Tokyo. Women make up nearly half of sports participation––yet only receive 4% of media coverage. This may come as no surprise given how often male sports headlines pervade our television screens and newspapers. While leagues across the sports industry have made progress in recognizing the value of women in recent years, the journey towards equal representation is far from over. To give female athletes more leverage and create more space for their stories to be shared, On Her Turf: At the Olympics was launched, and I’m proud to say I played a part. I highlighted gold medalists April Ross and Alice Klineman, teenage sensation Athing Mu, and iconic leader Muffet McGraw. I covered taboo topics surrounding sports performance––including periods, pregnancy, uniform requirements, and mental health. Best of all, I collaborated with some of the most influential women in sports media—and we made a difference. During the 2020 Olympics, female athletes received 59.1% of primetime coverage, the highest percentage women’s sports have ever received in the history of NBC’s Olympic broadcasts. Women of heart, women of faith, women of courage—these are all values I honed within OLP’s green gates and sharpened in the time I’ve now spent outside of them. They led me to become a Division I collegiate track and field athlete and ultimately carve a path in sports journalism. They helped me find my voice as a female in a male-dominated industry. Most importantly, they inspired me to explore the ways in which the sports world connects to the layered complexities of race, gender, and culture. As for my next steps, I’m humbled and grateful to continue my sports journalism career in the production department at ESPN starting in December. But wherever the world takes me, I hope to inspire the next generation of Pilots to find the heart, faith, and courage to dream big. Use your voice, however loud it may be, to make an impact. Lean into the sense of empowerment that OLP stands for. It truly is a special place, and I’m beyond lucky to forever call it home. OLP MAGAZINE
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Endless Summer on OLP’s North Terrace.
a DAY i n the LIFE OLP’s second annual Hackathon.
Pilots enjoyed the Welcome Back Student Social after the first week of school.
The Class of 2023 enjoyed pizza and ice cream after raising the most money during last year’s “All in for OLP” campaign.
We celebrated our Mass of the Holy Spirit, our first all-school Mass of the year and first all26 | Mass OLP M A Z I N Ein a year school onA G campus and a half.
We started the school year with Welcome Back Assembly.
Examining the Holocaust Through Literature. Frosh and Transfer Parents met members of the OLP leadership team.
Students celebrated Mexican Independence Day.
In October, the OLP Mission and Ministry team met with Saint’s Campus Ministry team to build community, share fellowship, and collaboratively dream about possibilities.
OLP M AGAZIN E decades | 27 We danced through the during OLP Spirit Week.
NONPROFIT ORG. U.S. POS TAGE PAID SAN DIEGO, C A PERMIT NO. 1592
4860 OREGON STREET S A N D I E G O, C A 92 1 16 @ACADEMYOFOURLADYOFPEACE ACADEMYOFOURLADYOFPEACE @OLPNEWS ACADEMY OF OUR LADY OF PEACE
Save the Date SPRING SING WILL BE HELD AT THE SAN DIEGO CIVIC THEATER ON FRIDAY, MARCH 11, 2022