Wings Fall 09 - St. Scholastica Academy

E M I L Y A N D R E W S
US Congressional Page
By: Katie Schimmeck
Emily Andrews, a St. Scholastica Academy senior, was chosen to serve in the United
States House of Representatives Page Program during the fall semester of 2007. She
was sponsored by Republican Congressman Bobby Jindal, who is now Governor of
Louisiana. She served as a Page from September 1 to January 28, and lived in the US
House of Representatives Page Dormitory in Washington, D.C., where she attended
early morning high school classes on the third floor of the Library of Congress and
served in the Republican Cloak Room at the US Capitol. Her duties in the Cloak
Room included notifying Congressmen of votes and vote times, maintaining official
cloakroom records of daily proceedings, and placing legislation in the “Bill Hopper”.
Emily enjoyed her service as a US Page, where she met politicians and foreign
diplomats on a daily basis and saw firsthand a part of the American democratic
process in action. Highlights from her appointment include attending a Veteran’s Day
service at Arlington National Cemetery featuring then Vice President Dick Cheney as
speaker, visiting the Holocaust Museum, listening to lectures at the National Book
Convention and touring the innovations at the Solar Decathlon at the National Mall,
and observing the new Congressional Visitor Center before its completion. At the
hubbub of the US Capitol, Emily spotted Sen. John McCain, the Dalai Llama, Bono, Fran
Drescher, Alan Alda and Ben Affleck..
Of her experience as a US Page, Emily says, “It made the legislative process more tangible and real. I now realize the hard work
involved, and have a greater respect for those in the political arena.” Emily is the daughter of Scott and Suzanne Andrews, of
Mandeville.
J A P A N V I S I T
During spring break 2008,
sophomore Amnah
Rahman visited a high
school in Okayama, Japan. Met by a welcoming committee consisting of
an English language teacher and students from her class, Rahman was
guided through a day at Konko Gakuen Junior and Senior High School.
She gave a visual presentation depicting a typical day at SSA. The
Japanese students also gave a presentation on their own school. This
provided the students with a unique opportunity to talk about their
respective schools and compare different aspects of school life in the
two countries. Additionally, Rahman was able to observe a performance
by the school’s 120-member band and participate in a number of
school and club activities, such as green tea ceremony, Japanese
calligraphy, Shaolin Kung Fu, and the Judo club.
Pictured: Konko Gakun Junior and Senior High School English language teacher, Dr.
Najma Janjua, Japanese student, sophomore Amnah Rahman, and the English students
pose with the Shaolin Kung Fu club in Japan.
N E W T E A C H E R S 0 8 - 0 9
New teachers welcomed for 2008-09: Maggie McConnell (Art II),
Tracy Norwood (English I and III), Catherine Mackin (French I and
II and Spanish I and II), Phoebe Solek (Algebra I, II and Advanced
Math), Bridgette Byrd O’Connor ’93 (World History and LA
History), and Kerri Sakowski (Civics and Civics H).
L to R: Phoebe Solek, Kerri Sakowski, Catherine Mackin, Bridgette Byrd
O’Connor ’93, Maggie McConnell, and Tracy Norwood.
D O V E W I N G S 29