Summer 2014 - We Are Proud Of
Edited by Barbara Burklund
The learning and service that happen during the academic year continue in the summer for all of our Angels. Read on to learn what they did during their summer vacation.
SERVICE
AHA Campus Minister Mrs. Maryann Miloscia along with eight AHA students participated in “In His Footsteps,” a service program sponsored by the Newark Archdiocese Office of Youth and Young Adult Ministry. Students from ten different archdiocesan institutions worked together at nine different sites doing a variety of service from July 20-25th. Together they made a difference by painting classrooms, working as camp counselors, and assisting at a food pantry. Pictured standing left to right are: Genesis Morales ’16, Jennifer Faiz’16, Claudia Morgan ’16, Anik Nalbandian ’17 and Molly Menapace ’16. Sitting left to right are: Sarah Daniello ‘17, Krysta O'Shea ’17 and Thea Bliss ’17.
In June, Ms. Fay and Mrs. Chambers led a group of six students to Baltimore, MD and Washington, DC to participate in Young Neighbors In Solidarity, a project of the Center for Ministry Development. They worked in the mornings at a soup kitchen called My Brother's Keeper where they prepared and served lunch, conversed with guests and cleaned up afterwards. In the afternoons they worked at The Loading Dock, a facility that accepts excess building materials, appliances, and furniture and household goods from contractors, or individuals who are doing remodeling and have extra materials or items that are still useable. The items are then resold at a fraction of the original cost which benefits their clientele, most of whom who could not afford the materials new. A high priority at The Loading Dock is to reuse items that are still serviceable, which limits waste, and to dispose of items that are beyond their usefulness in a responsible and sustainable manner. The group also spent one day the international headquarters of Catholic Relief Services learning how to advocate and effect changes that address the systemic causes of poverty. Then at the end of the week the group traveled to Washington, DC and met with the aides of the two New Jersey senators and the congressional representatives of two local districts to share their experiences and to advocate for the Food for Peace Bill. Pictured left to right are: Miss Carol Fay, Patricia Krisan ’16, Arianne Rowe ’17, Kelly Farrell ’16, Lisa Harootunian ’17, Jenny Quispe ’15, Shiho Numakura ’17 and Mrs. Kate Chambers.
In July, AHA Campus Minister Mrs. Kathy Sylvester and faculty member Mrs. Joan Connelly led an energetic group of eight student volunteers to St. Peter the Apostle School, an SSND sponsored school in Philadelphia, to do a variety of tasks in preparation for the opening of school, but a lot more happened on this trip. Senior Annie King said it best in her reflection upon her return home. “We were there to help the struggling school and parish community but as much as we were helping them, they were helping us. They showed us, Angels, a completely different perspective on life. With the countless smiles, greetings, and delicious meals, the bond between St. Peter’s and the Angels only entangled and intertwined more and more. The outpouring of love and commitment from the St. Peter community overwhelmed our hearts and taught us valuable lessons.” Pictured standing left to right are: Antonia Thompson ’17, Annie King ’15, S. Rose Federici, SSND, Principal of St. Peter’s, Christina Careri ’16 and Jenna Piccinich ’16. Seated left to right are Olivia Sheppard ’17, Isabelle Akinyemiju ’17, Emily Imbarrato ’16, and Salina Lyu ’17.
Fiona Williams ’15 coordinated a service trip with Fabretto Children's Foundation. She recruited fellow Angels: Juliet Vicari '15, Cassidy Feerick '15, Elly Rose Jayson '15, and Abigail Williams '18 to join her on a service trip to Nicaragua where they helped paint a school, build an irrigation system and teach English and team sports. Fiona is pictured digging an irrigation trench with Elly Rose.
Yerin Karenna Jeong ‘18 traveled to El Salvador on a mission trip with members of her church to volunteer at an orphanage called Shalom. The group spent two weeks there doing a variety of service projects. Yerin writes, “I learned a lot of important values while I was there. I learned that we must be more thankful, not on just Thanksgiving, but everyday. We must be thankful that we have parents who support us that we have a bed to sleep in, a roof over our heads, running water, and lights that brighten our home. We must never take things for granted, we must use our resources wisely, and above all, we must love everyone around us.”
Ashley Chang ‘18 answered the call to participate in the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge to raise funds and awareness for the disease ALS. “I felt frozen in time as the water chilled my entire body. Brrrr! But I was proud to participate in the act, and hoped that this would help fund money for the disease as well as raise awareness.”
Gabrielle Dugan ’18 did a variety of service projects organized by her youth group at the St. Albans Parish. She did some gardening clean-up work at the CrossRoad Camp and Retreat Center, packaged lunches for a program for underserved children, organized baby supplies for a pregnancy crisis center and worked with “Haven of Hope,” an organization that supports families with children facing terminal illness. Gabrielle reflected, “This mission trip provided the most inspirational and life changing opportunities I may ever experience and I hope to continue partaking in this mission trip for many more summers.”
Carolina Zulaga ’15 participated in Programas Sociales de la Parroquia Nuestra Señora del Carmen, while on a mission trip to Guatemala City. This organization helps to educate women and care for their children, thus enabling their participation in the program. Carolina spent five days there helping to feed the children and helping in the nursery. She also conducted a seminar on nutrition and donated school supplies and books in Spanish.
TRAVEL
Twenty rising juniors and seniors led by faculty members Nancy Schneberger and Gail Fair traveled to Austria and Germany to participate in AHA’s summer study abroad humanities program. They enjoyed musical concerts, visited art museums, attended lectures and presented papers about historical and cultural events. Senior Breanne Mastromarino described the experience as follows: “Instead of spending all of our time learning in a traditional classroom, we learned in the ‘classroom without walls.’ This method allowed all of us to learn about the history, art, music, and culture of Germany and Austria as we visited the locations pertaining to those topics.” While in Munich the girls were welcomed at the SSND Motherhouse by S. Brunhild, SSND who shared stories with them and gave them a tour of the grounds. A very a special highlight this year was being in Germany to witness the excitement of Germany’s victory at the World Cup Championship. Senior Sandrine Yesilan summed it all up as follows: “We also were in Munich Germany during the World Cup final and it was an experience I will never forget. Sports fanatics or not, we all bought our favorite players' jerseys (mine was Muller), and giant German flags. This trip truly exceeded my expectations.” The group is pictured leaving Holy Angels to embark upon their trip. Also pictured are seniors: Monique Smallman, Carina Crabbe, Samantha Doka, Paige Sunden and Breanne Mastromarino at The Mirabell Gardens, a site featured in The Sound of Music. And raising the flag for Germany are seniors: Ali Meyers, Sandrine Yesilian, Jacky Miller, Julia DeSimone, Camila Nicasio and Kensley Lipka.
Mrs. Laura Kraytem led a group of 37 students on a 16 day European tour to three countries in July. Starting in Rome, they visited Assisi, Florence, Lake Garda, Modena, Milan, Paris and Amsterdam. Mrs.Rita Goff, Mrs. Eileen Musich, and, Mrs. Kraytem’s son and daughter-in-law, Ghassan and Renai Kraytem served as chaperones on this trip. The group is pictured standing before the Coliseum in Rome and in on the steps of the Basilica of St. Francis in Assisi.
Angelica Piegari ’17, spent three weeks at Ionian Village, a Christian summer camp ministry of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America located in Greece. The goal of this three-week summer experience is to bring teenagers closer to their Christian Orthodox faith and culture by traveling to sites of both religious and historical significance.
Jaya Sharma ’18 traveled to Costa Rica, which she described as “the happiest, nicest country in the world!” It was a fun packed and active trip for Jaya that included zip lining over the Arenal Rain Forest about 7,000 feet up in the air, kayaking and jet skiing. She is pictured standing on the hanging bridges called the Cloud Forest in Monteverde.
Jessica Cho ’16 traveled back to her home in Korea to reconnect with family and friends over the summer months. Jessica is one of AHA’s international students who live in the US with a host family. She reports spending a lot of time studying even though it was her summer vacation but she still had fun and is looking forward to going back again next summer.
SPORTS
Catherine Apostol ’16 received word that she successfully completed the United States Equestrian Federation's (USEF) High School Equestrian Athlete Program. This program was developed to provide recognition for the accomplishments of young equestrians and encourage their future involvement in equestrian sport. Participants in the program are required to document at least 100 hours of training and provide verification of participation in three equestrian competitions during the year.
Kelly Sim ’18 took third place at Philadelphia Runner Junior Golf Championship held in August at the Cripple Creek Golf & Country Club in Dagsboro, Delaware. Her victory surprised some of her competition, many of whom were two to three years older than she.
LEADERSHIP CONFERENCES
Sophomore Amanda Hernandez participated in the Girls’ Leadership Worldwide Program at the Eleanor Roosevelt Center in Val-Kill, NY. The nine day program, inspired by the example of Eleanor Roosevelt, offers workshops and field trips to New York City for girls from many different backgrounds and from all over the world who want to develop their leadership skills. In addition to participating in workshops on such topics as social justice and advocacy, participants spent two full days in New York City visiting the United Nations and the National September 11th Memorial and Museum.
Senior Christina Daniello attended a leadership conference at Bucknell University in July entitled “Shaping your World-Social Media in 2014.” She attended classes, met professors and collaborated with other students on a group project about the ways in which social media and technology have impacted our modern world. She also finished her Gold Award Project for which she refurbished a large prayer garden at Holy Innocents Catholic Church in Neptune, New Jersey.
Monica Moser ’15 participated in Fordham University’s National Youth Leadership Forum: Careers in Digital Media, Broadcast and Journalism. The program enabled her to network with a variety of experts in the fields of digital media, public relations and journalism. She also had the opportunity to visit the New York Film Academy, where she produced and edited a news segment. She also had some time for fun and visiting some interesting cultural spots in NYC.
Alexandra Alfonso ’15 went to China with the All-American Model UN Team to attend a Model UN conference in Beijing. She was assigned to the UNHRC committee, the United Nations Human Rights Council. Alexandra was the head delegate for the team and was awarded an honorable mention for her efforts.
ARTISTIC ENDEAVORS
Bridget O'Donnell ’17 won 2nd Place in the Under-15 Solo Irish-Fiddle Competition in Sligo, Ireland on August 15, 2014. She is pictured with her fiddle teacher, Mrs. Rosemarie Flanagan (mother of AHA alums Maeve ’07 and Bernadette ’09.
Megan Stagg ‘15 went to Georgetown University for two weeks where she took classes in Musical Theater and Vocal Performance for Musical Theater. She attended master classes in voice, dance and acting and met people from all over the world including France, England and Russia.
ACADEMICS
Ingrid Noriega ’15 completed coursework in Washington DC as a part of American University’s Community of Scholars Program. She took a class entitled “Worlds Apart: Conflict, Culture, and Cooperation” which was held for two weeks on campus and one week online and earned three college credits for her efforts. While in DC, Ingrid was able to attend briefings at the US Department of State, the US Institute of Peace, the World Bank, and the Embassies of Saudi Arabia and Canada. She financed this trip herself by securing scholarship funds and by working part-time jobs.
Allyson MacConchie ’16 was accepted into the Mechanical Engineering Institute of Manhattan College. She is looking forward to applying for a summer opportunity next year in biochemistry, the area that she aspires to pursue.
Aleksandra Atansoska ’15 was very busy this summer. She traveled to Macedonia to work with the Children’s Embassy there to plan an international conference. She also attended two summer camps: one at American University in Washington, DC focusing on Political Action and Public Policy, at a second a Princeton University concentrating on International Relations.
Samantha Pereira ’16 attended Space Camp at NASA in Huntsville, Alabama for a week of August. While there, she met students not only from the United States but also from around the world. Samantha submitted the following report of her experiences in this exciting program: “At the camp, we went on different missions. During these missions, I was the International Space Station (ISS) Scientist, the orbiter pilot, and capcom in mission control. During each of these missions, or simulations, I played a different role. As the ISS Scientist, I learned how astronauts live on the ISS, and as well, I performed different experiments. As the orbiter pilot, I learned how to land the orbiter. As capcom in mission control, I was given the job of helping the astronauts in the orbiter complete their mission, solve any problems or anomalies, and helped them dock to the ISS.” Samantha was awarded a scholarship by the Archdiocese of Newark that enabled her to participate in this exciting program.
Stephanie Albert ‘16 attended CSI camp at Richard Stockton College. There she investigated simulated crime scenes using a variety of forensic techniques. There was even a mock trail at the end of the session. The program included several interesting field trips to such places as the hospital morgue, the county jail and the federal air marshals training center.
Katherine Koh ’15 spent a month at Dartmouth College participating in DDI, the Dartmouth Debate Institution. There she sharpened her debate skills by doing speaking drills and research at the Dartmouth Library. Students also were invited to attend lectures on a wide variety of topics including: the environment, politics, philosophy, race, and gender equality. Katherine writes, “Although, the camp was mostly focused on debating in the national circuit, I learned much through the personal interactions with my lab leaders and friends. It was even more interesting because there were people from all over the world, in different high school grades, and different levels of experience. It was exciting to debate against students from all over the world. There was always room for improvement and the advice we received helped us leave the room as better debaters than we were when we walked in.”
JUST FOR FUN
Shae’ Baker- Lobo ‘18 had fun tubing, fishing and jet skiing with friends for a week at Oxoboxo Lake in Oakdale Connecticut.
Aprile Bertomo ’18 and her family went zip-lining at Lums State Park in Delaware. She writes, “It was one thrilling ride! The adventure made me feel as if I was walking on air!”
Ava Borelli ’18 focused on improving her gymnastics at a Paragon Gym in Norwood to get ready to compete on AHA’s Gymnastics team. She also took time out to go to the beach with her family. However, she reports that the best part of her summer, going to a One Direction concert!
Brianna Castiglia ’18 reports: “This summer, like many others, I went to LBI. My mom’s side of the family joined us for an exciting week as we went fishing, went on morning bike rides and just relaxed at the beach. Not long before that I went to Southampton with my close family friends and we enjoyed each other’s company for a good two days. There we just went swimming in their pool and tanned on the beach. The rest of my summer was dedicated to my summer reading, family, friends and of course, sleeping.”
Bethzabeth Concepcion ’18 submitted the following summary of her fun summer: “I played my Xbox and got Batman Arkham Origins. I also went to my grandma's pool to swim. I went to Connecticut with my family to eat lobster, clams, and shrimp. I had an awesome summer. I met new people at AHA and found teachers that were so very nice. I wish that I could stay here forever because I just love the nice people. So my life here at AHA was beautiful and I'm glad I got accepted.
Véronique Dhont ’18 worked as a counselor at the Elisabeth Morrow School in Englewood for two weeks before heading off to Greece to vacation with her family. She reports that they relaxed, swam and ate a lot of good food there. In August she was busy with rehearsals at the Metropolitan Opera House where she prepared for her performances in La Bohème and Carmen.
Courtney Dodd ‘18 went to a skiing camp in Hintertux, Austria over the summer where she worked on her skiing techniques for two weeks with her ski team. On their off day they went to Inssbruck and did some shopping and went to a water park.
Myriam Dubuisson ‘18 reports that she and her family relaxed in Florida and had a great time. She even tried paddle boarding for the first time. “Even though I fell, I got back up and tried again. In all, I relaxed, saw One Direction in concert, and spent time with the people that I care the most about.”
Julia Elisano ‘18 reported that she did many fun things this past summer but that the best part came last when she attended an Austin Mahone concert with friends.
Julia Giampiccolo ’18 attended Bergen’s Best Soccer Camp where she met many new AHA friends. She also went to Long Beach Island with her family and reconnected with her “summer friends” by hanging out on the beach and surfing.
Margeaux Gould ’18 and her family traveled to Kauai, Hawaii where they were joined by her aunt and cousin from China. Together they went hiking and explored beautiful beaches and even swam with wild sea turtles.
Amanda Hagan ‘18 reports that she went to the shore on most weekends and attended AHA dance team practices during the week.
Rebecca Lee ’18 traveled to Yellowstone Park and enjoyed the attractions and some hiking too.
Victoria Lehman ’18 spent a week at Myrtle Beach, SC. with her family. While there, she enjoyed the sun and sand and even spotted a few dolphins!
Alexandra Lisanti ’18 had some fun down at the in Lavallette with family and friends. She writes, “It was filled with so much joy, between relaxing on the beach, and walking on the boardwalk, and just spending time with my family and friends in general. We spotted multiple dolphins in the ocean, and even saw a whale!”
Laura Pesanello’18 went to San Diego, California and went whale watching and saw blue whales and dolphins.
Rebecca Quigley ‘18 traveled to Niagara Falls where she enjoyed the sights as well as a spectacular fireworks show.
Inaya Spradley ‘18 and her family took time out this summer to drive to Florida for some rest and relaxation. On their way to South Miami Beach they stopped at Jekyll Island and St. Simon in Georgia.