NDCL's Performing Arts Department continued its tradition of excellence by winning six Ovations awards for this spring's production of "The…
Secret Garden Blooms With Ovations Awards
NDCL’s Performing Arts Department continued its tradition of excellence by winning six Ovations awards for this spring’s production of “The Secret Garden.” The awards, sponsored by the Geauga Council for Arts and Culture, recognize the best in high school musical theater in Geauga County.
NDCL Ovations awards winners include: Best Achievement in Acting – senior Katie Malish; Best Achievement in Technical Theatre – seniors Andrew Wright and Tyler Olexa; Best Achievement in Music – senior Machala Comenschek; “Wild Card” Award – the company for “Dreamers”; Most Valuable Person (MVP) – senior Andrew Wright; and Ovations Scholarship recipient – senior Machala Comenschek.
Performing arts department chairperson Shirley Ivancic Stall directed “The Secret Garden” with assistance from music teacher Adam Pysell, family and consumer science department chairperson Mary Wheelock and science teacher Melissa Parey.
Lion Encounter Retreat
A team of NDCL students and staff took the NDCL experience on the road to host a Lion Encounter Leadership Retreat for the 83 seventh-graders of Saint Gabriel School.
The full-day experience featured activities focused on NDCL’s core values of justice, respect, integrity, community and excellence. Twenty-six NDCL students – all Saint Gabriel graduates – led the program.
“It was a wonderful experience to share what makes Catholic education great, working to transform the world by using our gifts and talents to serve others,” said Director of Admission Michael Suso ’03.
Student Journalists Recognized
Staff members of NDCL’s Mane Page news magazine and Chrysalis yearbook earned 20 awards in the recent Ohio Scholastic Media Association (OSMA) contest at Kent State University.
The following student journalists achieved superior or excellent ratings from the OSMA judges: Tessa Widenhofer ’17 – Superior, Review; Anne Schnell ’15 – Superior, First-Person Narrative; Jessica Iacco ’18 – Excellent, Feature Page Layout; Patrick Moorman ’17, Tyler Plants ’17 and Maura Delaney ’17 – Excellent, Editorial; Patrick Moorman – Excellent, Sports Page Layout; and Nathan Bryant ’16 -Excellent, Yearbook Feature Photo.
Honorable mention awards were given to: juniors Hailey Oppenlander, Tessa Widenhofer, Patrick Moorman and Maura Delaney; senior Alex Pastrick; and sophomore Jessica Iacco; and 2015 graduates Anne Schnell, Brandon Kinzig, Scott Pschirer, Samantha Flowers and Mick Stanovsek.
Overall, the Mane Page earned a third place rating in the news magazine category. English teacher Lindsay Cameron advises the Mane Page and technology department chairperson Melissa Christopher serves as yearbook adviser.
College Scholarships, Grants
At the Senior Honors Ceremony on May 9, Principal Joseph A. Waler announced that the members of the class of 2016 have been offered nearly $14 million in scholarships and grants over the next four years from colleges and universities across the country.
“The scholarships offered to our seniors demonstrate that their hard work and the hard work of our teachers and counselors over the past four years really do make a difference. These generous and well-deserved awards open doors of opportunity for our graduates in college and beyond,” Mr. Waler said.
“Sometimes people ask, ‘It’s paying for an NDCL education worth it?’ I tell them to look into our students’ hope-filled, eager eyes. See the goodness that comes from their faith-filled, caring hearts. And, yes, check out their college scholarship award letters. You bet it’s worth it — every penny,'” Mr. Waler stressed.
Monday’s ceremony recognized dozens of seniors for their scholastic and other accomplishments over the past four years.
