Scholarship Awards, Reflection by Rebecca Koenig '18

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St. Mary’s Dominican High School Scholarship recipients, standing (from left): Kelsey Major, Abigail Mandella, Catherine Mansfield, Kaylie Nguyen, Katelin Obletz, Isabella Paul, Spencer Protti, Riley Sciambra, Maeve Storm, Sarah Swaim, Jenna Thomas, and Kate Weiss. Seated: Madeleine Ascani, Kate Baker, Jane Bickerton, Jane Bostick, Monica Cabes, Anne Carr, Bakhit Cuccia, Jasmine Ferrier, Rowan French, and Erin Kramer. Not pictured: Ada Holmes and Elizabeth Mobley.

St. Mary’s Dominican High School awarded school scholarships to 24 current seventh graders based on the students’ academic records and their performance on the High School Placement Test. The scholarships were presented during the May 13 scholarship ceremony held on Dominican’s campus.

Recipients, their current schools and scholarships awarded:

Madeleine Ascani
St. Christopher the Martyr School
Audrey and John Cocchiara Scholarship

Kate Baker
St. Catherine of Siena School
Margaret Groetsch Hogan Scholarship

Jane Bickerton
St. Dominic School
Sr. M. Teresa Mittelbronn, O.P. Endowed Scholarship

Jane Bostick
St. Paul’s Episcopal School
Ruth U. Fertel Endowed Scholarship

Monica Cabes
St. Dominic School
The Father Jean Marie Germain Tuition Endowed Scholarship

Anne Carr
St. Matthew the Apostle School
Vivian Agnes Chasez Coney Memorial Endowed Scholarship

Bakhit Cuccia
Christian Brothers School
Veritas Endowed Scholarship

Jasmine Ferrier
St. Paul’s Episcopal School
Lolita Fernandez de la Reguera Pittman Endowed Scholarship

Rowan French
Holy Name of Jesus School
Gauthier Endowed Scholarship

Ada Holmes
Louise S. McGehee School
Lynn and Arthur Mann Family Scholarship

Erin Kramer
St. Matthew the Apostle School
Kathleen Lier Endowed Scholarship

Kelsey Major
St. Pius X School
Siena Endowed Scholarship

Abigail Mandella
St. Angela Merici School
Von Wolff I Endowed Scholarship

Catherine Mansfield
St. Ann School
Dr. and Mrs. William Dardis Scholarship

Elizabeth Mobley
Louise S. McGehee School
Karen Graffagnini Favret ’62 Endowed Scholarship

Kaylie Nguyen
St. Ann School
Dorothy D. Porter I Endowed Scholarship

Katelin Obletz
St. Catherine of Siena School
Sr. Waldia Warden, O.P. Endowed Scholarship

Isabella Paul
St. Catherine of Siena School
Drs. Jewell (Lozes) and Richard Wunderlich Endowed Scholarship

Spencer Protti
St. Andrew the Apostle School
The Class of 1957 Endowed Scholarship

Riley Sciambra
St. Catherine of Siena School
The Class of 1959 Endowed Scholarship

Maeve Storm
Patrick F. Taylor Science and Technology Academy
Alumnae Association Endowed Scholarship
Joan Frischhertz Mascaro Endowed Scholarship

Sarah Swaim
Kehoe-France School
Carol Lohfink Drawe Scholarship

Jenna Thomas
St. Christopher the Martyr School
Denise Galatoire Schoen Endowed Scholarship

Kate Weiss
Ursuline Academy
Patricia J. Blanchard Scholarship

Reflection by Rebecca Koenig ’18

rebecca_headshot_1572Good Morning Everyone! Congratulations to all of the scholarship recipients! I am Rebecca Koenig, and I was asked to speak to all of you today about your upcoming Dominican journey. Coming in as an eighth grader I was very nervous about starting at Dominican. I was worried about academics, making new friends, and deciding what extracurricular activities to join. However, as my journey went on I began to realize the bigger influence attending Dominican will have on my life.

I would like to share with you some of the lessons I have learned over my four years. Attending Dominican is like walking a tight rope; you need to keep your balance amongst the chaotic moments in academics, friendships, athletics and extracurricular activities. This was the first major lesson I learned at Dominican, the art of multitasking and time management. The second major lesson was the skill of screaming very loudly. The past four years of Rally Days, Volleyball games, Pep Rallies, and of course the AMAZING Back to School Dances have made me an expert at chanting, cheering, and screaming in general.

My third and most important lesson I have learned here at DHS is that if nothing else live your life for Christ. In 30 years it will not matter whether you made a 94 or a 95 in English. What will matter is whether you glorified God everyday with with your words and deeds and if you have learned from every challenge God and Dominican has presented you. One of my favorite sayings is ‘to whom much is given much is expected,’ and at Dominican you will be given many wonderful opportunities to give back in the name of Christ. Lastly, I would like to say my favorite Bible verse.

To all of the incoming students, I encourage you to find a Bible verse that you can recite whenever you feel stressed or tired because those days will occur. This verse has been nicknamed as my “Math prayer” by my friends because before every math assessment I say this to give me courage. Romans 5:1-5 “As therefore having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Through whom also we have obtained our introduction by faith into this grace in which we stand; and we exult in hope of the glory of God. And not only this, but we also exult in our tribulations knowing that tribulation brings about perseverance, and perseverance, proven character and proven character, hope; and hope does not disappoint because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us.”

I invite everyone who attends Dominican to have peace within their hearts and to enjoy every second of your experience because it goes by too quickly. Lastly, thank you for allowing me to speak this morning and to all the new students Welcome to Dominican!