Author: stmarysdominicanstar

A Toast of Praise to Literary Rally Participants!

May 5, 2017

Congratulations to all the students who participated in District Rally at Southeastern University on Saturday, Feb. 18, and in State Rally at LSU on Saturday, Apr. 1.

A Toast of Praise to you!

 

The following students qualified at district and competed at State Rally in April.

Caroline Bickerton-Advanced Math-Pre-Calculus

Maggie Latham-Algebra II

Lili Cerise-American History*

Gabby Terranova-Biology II

Catherine Cerise-Calculus I*

Madison Ferguson-English I

Camille Scandurro-English III

Audrey Buck-English IV

Sydney Raymond-Physical Science

Elizabeth Champagne-Physics

Ashley Patron-Spanish I

Lorissa Gallardo-Spanish III

Victoria Liu-Spanish IV

Congratulations to the following students who were district qualifiers.

Annie Smith-Advanced Math-Pre-Calculus

Abigail Webb-English IV

*awarded Southeastern Scholarship for achieving the highest score on their tests

Congratulations to the following students who placed at the State Rally at LSU in April!

Caroline Bickerton-Advanced Math-Pre-Calculus-3rd place

Maggie Latham-Algebra II-2nd place

Lili Cerise-U.S. History-1st place

Catherine Cerise-Calculus I-5th place

Camille Scandurro-English III-1st place

Audrey Buck-English IV-5th place

Sydney Raymond-Physical Science-3rd place

Elizabeth Champagne-Physics-3rd place

Lorissa Gallardo-Spanish III-2nd place

Victoria Liu-Spanish IV-1st place overall winner-Scholarship Winner

Ceci Bourg and Elise Bourg-Superior Rating for Girl’s Vocal Solo: High Voices

Molly Gaffney and Annie Smith-Superior Rating for Girl’s Vocal Solo: Low Voices

Ceci Bourg, Catherine Cerise and Lili Cerise-Superior Rating: Girl’s Trio

Courtney Mercadel-Excellent Rating: French I: Interpretive Reading

Emilie Wensel-Excellent Rating: French II: Extemporaneous Speaking

Erynn Johnson-Good Rating: French III: Extemporaneous Speaking

Abigail Nix-French IV: Superior Rating: Extemporaneous Speaking

Nayah Thomas-Spanish II: Superior Rating: Interpretive Reading

Gabrielle Duhe-Spanish III: Excellent Rating: Interpretive Reading

Victoria Liu-Spanish IV: Superior Rating: Extemporaneous Speaking

Tia Peck-Spanish IV: Superior Rating: Interpretive Reading

 

E-Board Says …

May 5, 2017
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Marcelle Kepper, Executive Board Treasurer

While the year has been filled with lights, Dominicamera and action, it is sadly coming to an end. Although the final curtain of the year is closing and the Fourth Quarter is coming to an end, the memories we’ve all made will live on.

Dominican sports made their mark this spring with spectacular achievements. The tennis team continued their success with a team State Runner-Up title, and teammates Morgan Forshag and Gabby Terranova placed first in doubles! Along with the tennis team, the softball team showed their skill in state competition and proudly earned the State Runner-Up title! Way to go ladies!

Every year, Student Council works with other schools in the New Orleans area to plan the Slam-n-Jam tournament, a day of beach volleyball and fun in the sun. This year, two teams from Dominican competed and represented the school with pride. Seeing fellow classmates show their school spirit with their friends is what makes working Slam-n-Jam so rewarding.

With the end of the school year comes elections for next year’s school leaders: the 2017-2018 Student Council Executive Board! Congratulations to President Mackie Smith, Vice President Cole Pittman, Secretary Katie Mouton, and Treasurer Tia Peck! Being on the Executive Board is an incredible experience, and I’m so excited to see what you all have in store for next year.

As the Class of 2017 begins to give their final salutes, we remember all the amazing times we’ve shared together. Even though we will be parting, we will never forget our time at Dominican, the friends we’ve met and the memories we’ve made. Wherever we go, the bond that we share as a class will always bring us back to our second home and to the people who helped shape us into strong, confident women. So, here’s a salute to you, Class of 2017!

On behalf of the entire 2016-17 EBoard, let me say it has been an honor serving you, the student body of St. Mary’s Dominican High School.  I cannot wait to see where life takes us!

– Marcelle Kepper

A Few of the Seniors’ Favorite Things

May 5, 2017

Time at Dominican is ticking at a fast pace as the seniors approach exam week, prom and graduation.  The excitement and anticipation is palpable during this time when the seniors savor their last days of being high school students.

Recently, The Star staff surveyed the Class of ’17 about some of their favorite memories.

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Favorite Dance – Back to School Dance

 

Disney JuniorFavorite Rally Theme – Disney Junior

 

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Favorite Sage Menu Item – Sage Cookies

 

Gatsby

Favorite Read – The Great Gatsby

MAΘ Convention Adds Up to Success

May 3, 2017

MAOPointing out their third place finish in Math Bowl, seniors Gabby Nguyen, Madison Miller, Catherine Cerise and Elizabeth Champagne know that teamwork adds up to success. They collectively earned enough points to enter Math Bowl, where the top four teams competed in quiz bowl style matches. DHS ended the Math Bowl finals finishing third place in Louisiana.

These students and forty other members of DHS’s math honor society, Mu Alpha Theta, participated in the Baton Rouge convention this past March 30 and April 1.

Dominican competed against the top math students from across Louisiana in a variety of math competitions. Dominican finished fifth overall in state and was among the top ten in each category they placed.

In the final individual competitions, ten DHS students placed in the top twenty in their division.  Champagne competed in the scholarship test, which is a special individual test for seniors. By placing in third, Champagne won a $500 scholarship for college. “I am so happy to receive a scholarship because every little bit helps with college,” said Champagne.

The convention ended with Dominican placing in 13 categories. “I am so proud of the girls for placing fifth in state,” said Ms. Katie Belou (‘05), honor society moderator.  “This was a huge accomplishment for Dominican’s Mu Alpha Theta.”

-Madeline Puente

French Students Excel at Convention

May 3, 2017

In March, DHS French students attended the Association Lousianaise des Clubs Français des Ecoles Secondaires (ALCFES) French Convention in Lafayette, Louisiana.

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Bon Voyage! – After winning her $1400 scholarship to the University of Mons, senior Andrea Garces celebrates with Mme. Roxane Coron of Edward Hynes Charter School, representative of the university.

At the convention, senior Andrea Garces won the scholarship program, which is a competition consisting of an interview and written/audio test in French. Garces earned a $1400 scholarship to study at the University of Mons in Le Mons, Begium this July.

To add to DHS’ success, freshman Emilie Wensel competed in the Spelling Bee and placed 2nd. Juniors Jessica Wallesverd, Brooke Loupe, Riley Daul and Katherine Hill designed the poster for this year’s convention. In addition to competing, students immersed themselves into French-influenced Louisiana culture.

ALCFES is an association of high schools in Louisiana that works toward the development of the French language in the economic, educational, cultural, and professional sectors. For the past 30 years, ALCFES has organized a Student Congress in different cities around the state to bring together students of all levels for a public celebration of French and French knowledge. The congresses are in both English and French with the focus on creating an atmosphere that allows students to display and experience French language skills and Francophone culture.

Adding to Dominican’s success at the convention, freshman Emilie Wensel competed in the Spelling Bee and placed 2nd. In addition to competing, students immersed themselves into French-influenced Louisiana culture.

The annual outing during convention this year was an excursion to Vermillionville, a preserved cajun community just outside of Lafayette. Students participated in a scavenger hunt where they learned about Cajun culture and language, ate gumbo, and learned to Cajun dance to the music of the Grammy award-winning zydeco musician, Chubby Carrier.

This year’s convention was a huge success, according to French teacher Mme. Joan Rupp. “We had a great convention this year,” said Mme. Rupp. “I am quite pleased with the students’ participation and enthusiasm!”

– Jailyn Heisser, Editor-in-Chief

Seniors Attend Financial Seminar, Invest in Future

May 2, 2017

Most seniors spend their last few months at DHS thinking about college, exams, prom, summer or graduation. However, a recent seminar encouraged them to think about their personal finances before they embark on their college careers.

During March and April, Mrs. Maureen Grefer (’85), Vice President at Central National Bank of Oklahoma, conducted a six-session Senior Finance Seminar to better equip twenty-five seniors for their financial futures. Real life examples helped seniors understand investing, budgeting, taxes and credit card use.

“I am really excited for the seniors to learn this information because they need this as college students and as women of the working world,” said Mrs. Jenn Drouant, academic assistant principal.

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During the financial seminar, Mrs. Maureen Grefer (’85) explains to seniors the expensive consequences of credit card use. Seniors also learned about income taxes, budgeting and investing while in the April and March sessions.

Many seniors may be overwhelmed at the prospect of managing their own finances, but the seminar quickly helped them to feel more confident. During the sessions, senior Hannah Meyer said, “Oh my gosh! Adulthood is coming soon!” For Meyer, these lessons were nerve-wracking because they were uncharted territory, but she quickly discovered finances were not as daunting as they appeared. “It’s nice to have Mrs. Grefer there to explain finances,” said Meyer. “Even though I don’t have to worry about it now, I’m going to need to know how to budget effectively and possibly file for taxes in college.”

In one session, Mrs. Grefer presented a scenario of buying a pair of $895 designer shoes with a credit card. She explained that if the girls only paid the minimum required monthly to pay for the shoes, it would take almost seven years to pay off the debt because of the interest the bank imposes.

“I had never known that just a simple pair of shoes could take so long to pay for,” said senior Maggie Neupert. “I know I’ll be much more careful with credit card debt in the future.”

The seniors practiced what they were learning in the seminar by designing their own budgets. Seniors pretended to have a starting salary of $44,000 after college and had to find housing and transportation, deduct taxes, start a savings account and put aside spending money. Mrs. Grefer taught her students to calculate how much they could afford to spend on a monthly basis and to use internet research to find the best bargains for their expenses.

“My hope is that the students will have a better idea of what to avoid and understand how they fit into the global economics,” said Mrs. Grefer.

The course received rave reviews from participating seniors, including Kayla Perez. “I hoped just to be confident entering freshman year of college,” she said. “Now I feel prepared for my life after college.”

– Madeline Puente

DHS Taps from Walmsley Ave to 42nd Street

May 2, 2017
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On the set of 42nd Street, the cast of Pretty Lady and director Julian Marsh (guest actor John Michael Haas) coerce Peggy Sawyer (senior Maggie Duplantier) to stay in New York and star in the show. 42nd Street was the twenty second show to be premiered in the DHS Fine Arts Festival.

On Friday, Mar. 31, DHS premiered 42nd Street in celebration of 22 years of Dominican theatre. DHS met its dancing feet in this year’s production as a part of the annual Fine Arts Festival in the Sister Ambrose Reggio Gym.

Thirty-six DHS students along with students from area schools including Jesuit, Brother Martin, Holy Cross, Christian Brothers, De La Salle and Archbishop Rummel made up the talented cast of Mark Bramble and Michael Stewart’s toe-tapping Broadway sensation.

Based on the 1933 film of the same name, 42nd Street tells the story of Peggy Sawyer – played by senior Maggie Duplantier – a dancer who leaves her hometown and moves to New York to pursue her Broadway dream in the production of “Pretty Lady.” When Broadway star Dorothy Brock – played by senior Brogan Hauskenecht – breaks her ankle, Peggy gets a chance at her big break. The musical incorporates classic songs and masterful choreography while chronicling the pursuit of the American Dream.

Upbeat and full of hope, 42nd Street is an iconic production that has been revived time and time again since 1980. “I chose 42nd Street because it’s energetic and fun and it’s still relevant today,” said Mrs. Rosalie Abadie, director. “There are so many kids out there just trying to make it and we wanted to make them understand that it takes hard work and guts and moxie to go out and make that happen.”

And make it happen, they did. On top of learning the lines and classic songs, the cast replicated the Broadway choreography. The musical was choreographed in part by sophomore Cappy Elvir alongside alumnae Kelly Fouchi (’90) and Maggie McGovern (’14).

“We took the choreography straight from the Broadway productions, so for Cappy to be able to take on such a huge role as a sophomore is impressive,” said Mrs. Marcia Peyton, assistant director.

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Dorothy Brock (senior Brogan Hausknecht) shows director Julian Marsh what she’s made of before performing “Shadow Waltz.” Hausknecht joined dozens of other actors in the cast of 42nd Street. The production was part of DHS’s annual Fine Arts Festival held each spring.

Elvir, in addition to her behind the scenes role as co-choreographer, assumed an on-stage role of esteemed Broadway choreographer Andy Lee. Her standout performance was matched by those of Hausknecht, senior Carlin Dougherty and junior Annalyse Nelson.

The production was scored by the orchestra, directed by Ms. Brenda Castillo, and included members of the DHS band.

Mrs. Abadie and Ms. Angelle Caffery designed the breathtaking set. The scenery crew, directed by Ms. Caffery, was made up of DHS students who brought the set to life.

“It’s given me so much joy to be able to watch everyone grow and become a theatre family and come together to put on such an amazing production,” said Mrs. Abadie.

“We worked extremely hard this year,” said Duplantier. “And we really hope that everyone learns from Peggy that it’s important to never stop working toward your dreams.”

– Jailyn Heisser, Editor-in-Chief

JCL Went, Saw and Conquered the Competition

April 28, 2017

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Hail, senior Maggie Conrad! Cloaked in a Roman toga and soldier helmet, she and fellow Junior Classical League members Ceci Bourg, Claire Plunkett, Celeste Maffei (seniors)  and junior Kristen Tholen promenade into the Chariot Competition to be judged on “best homemade chariot.” Dominican, along with schools from all over Louisiana, gathered in Baton Rouge in March for the Louisiana JCL Convention.

Over the course of three days, Junior Classical League members competed in several categories that related to the theme, “All Art is but an Imitation of Nature”- a quote from the Roman philosopher Seneca the Younger. Categories such as Olympika (academic testing), graphic and performing arts, and spirit competitions gave students the opportunity to put their knowledge to the test.

JCL members dedicated many hours prepare for the convention, which paid off because DHS fecit mundum verrunt, the Latin term for “made a clean sweep.” Overall Club Sweeps, one of the most prestigious categories, determined which club had the highest average scores in the categories. DHS earned 5th place, “which is big for us because other clubs typically bring in about 50 or 60 members versus our seven,” said moderator Dr. Wayne Rupp.

For Individual Sweepstakes, senior Elizabeth Champagne earned 8th place and Maffei came in with a close 9th place. On top of the many other awards and prizes, Dominican finished with Maffei receiving the 2017 LCJL College Scholarship.

Each year, the Louisiana JCL Convention unites students from all over the state who share the same passion for Greek and Roman culture. “The convention was a really cool experience,” said Bourg. “I am proud of us for accomplishing so much and bringing home so many awards with a smaller team.”

Senior Memories

April 28, 2017
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Mrs. Rosalie Abadie (’59) Mt. Carmel Academy, Thibodaux

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Mr. Mark Gonnella (’07), West Allegheny High School, Pittsburgh, PA

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Brother Roger Shondel, O.P. (’62) Bishop Noll High School, Hammond, IN

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Mr. Frank Cusimano (’68), Jesuit High School

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Mrs. Marcia Peyton (’78), Dominican High School

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Mrs. Monica Haag (83), Archbishop Chappell High School

Theron

Mr. Theron Ferry (’87), Brother Martin High School

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Mr. Paul Spitzfaden (’86), Jesuit High School

Guitroz

Ms. Anjel Guidroz (’86), Kentwood High School, Kentwood

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Mrs. Crissy Giocona (’89), Immaculata High School, Marrero

Frosch

Mrs. Jennifer Frosch (’02), Academy of the Sacred Heart

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Mrs. Jamie Lassere (’87), Dominican High School

Prince

Mrs. Dione Prince (’89), Ursuline Academy

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Mrs. Katey Alexander (’91), Dominican High School

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Mr. Randy Duplantis (’92), Archbishop Rummel High School

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Dr, Wayne Rupp (’92), Brother Martin High School

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Mrs. Suzanne Ladmirault (’88), McDonogh #35 High School

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Mrs. Meg Womble (’94), Incarnate Word Academy, St. Louis, MO

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Mrs. Joan Rupp (’06), St. Joseph Academy, Baton Rouge

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Mrs. Cristin Sabrio (’95), Dominican High School

 

Career Day Prepares Student for Future

April 28, 2017
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Sharing a glimpse of her exciting photography career, DHS alum Ms. Alexandra Arnold (’10) displays a photo from a shoot with Lady Gaga on Dominican’s Career Day in March.  

As DHS alum Ms. Alexandra Arnold (’10) sat in her desk during Career Day years ago, she was unsure of what profession she would choose. Today, she is an accomplished fashion photographer and retoucher for Marc Jacobs as well as former digital archivist for Martha Stewart.

When Arnold spoke to the crowd of students on Career Day, she remembered how she was once in their shoes. “During my senior year, I started to have a love for photography and got my first camera,” she said. “I took art with Mrs. Abadie, then continued my journey to SCAD (Savannah College of Art and Design).”

“But it all started here at Dominican,” Ms. Arnold added.

At Dominican’s Career Day, Ms. Arnold and other professionals gave valuable insight to students of all grade levels. A social worker, dermatologist, attorney, veterinarian, physician, school principal, business owner, real estate agent and many more participated in the annual event held March 29. The speakers – 32 of which were DHS alumnae – spoke in depth about their careers and their education.

Career Day is as popular among students as it is for the alums returning to participate. Career Day gives students a glimpse of life after DHS. “I enjoyed listening to the fashion photographer, real estate agent and finance relations analyst because their jobs are so interesting,” said senior Yarina Novick. “It’s cool to see how far their profession has taken them, especially since most of them were DHS alumnae.”

Before many of the speakers walked through the familiar DHS hallways, they prepared

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Stressing the importance of learning through experience, Mrs. Magdalen Bickford (’79), attorney, advises DHS students about their plans for the future during Career Day.

to give advice to students who are still unsure of what the future may hold. “If a student doesn’t know what career to choose, it’s okay because she will figure it out through life experiences,” advised attorney Mrs. Magdalen Bickford (’79), mother of junior Katherine Bickford and former editor in chief of The Star. “DHS prepared me for my career as an attorney, especially from the writing courses and public speaking.”

Katherine Bickford hopes to follow in her mother’s footsteps. “My mom inspires me to be an attorney,” said Katherine. “She is my role model, and she makes me proud to be her daughter every day.”

DHS is proud to share the alumnae’s experiences with students each year. After speaking at Career Day, Ms. Arnold reflected on where her career began. “I had a dream and I did everything I could to make it happen,” she said. “I encourage the girls to go out and pursue their biggest dreams.”

– Morgan Forshag