e ildren a. classic - Bishop O'Connell High School

In September 2010, officials of the NationalMerit Scholarship Corporation (NMSC) announcedthe names of approximately 16,000Semifinalists and 34,000 CommendedStudents in the 56th annual National MeritScholarship Program. More than 1.5 millionjuniors in about 22,000 high schools enteredthe 2011 National Merit Scholarship Programby taking the 2009 Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test(PSAT/NMSQT®), which served as an initialscreen of program entrants.In addition to her recognition as a CommendedStudent, Alessa garcia wasselected as a 2010-11 National HispanicRecognition Program (NHRP) Scholar.Senior Deon thomas was designated as aSemifinalist in the 47th annual NMSC NationalAchievement Scholarship Program.New Nursing electiveO’Connell’s latest elective class is an introductionto the nursing profession, taught bycurrent O’Connell math department facultymember and former nurse, Susan Koranek.This semester-long course includes nursingtheory, a history of nursing throughthe ages, the nursing process, the ethicsinvolved with nursing and an overviewof career opportunities. A field trip tothe VCU School of Nursing is one of thehighlights of this class, where students aredivided into smaller groups to visit a stateof-the-artsimulation and training room,which includes high-tech mannequins,with human-like responses that simulatepatients. According to Mrs. Koranek, “Thisexperience was marvelous! The studentswere all enthralled by the presentations andthe unique first-hand experiences gain.”english teacher recognizedby University of ChicagoThe University of Chicago recently recognizedO’Connell creative writing teacher and alumnus TomDuesterhaus as an outstanding educator and mentor.Duesterhaus was nominated by former O’Connellstudent and current University of Chicago student,Taylor Brogan ’10. According to the University,awardees are teachers “who opened new vistas andrealms of discovery, challenged students intellectuallyfor the first time, or channeled their private interestsinto productive paths for intellectual growth.”Tom Duesterhaus graduated from Bishop O’Connell in 1991, and returned in 1999 toteach English and creative writing. As a result of regularly writing short stories andvignettes alongside his students, Duesterhaus has completed and recently published hisfirst novel, entitled The Loyal Treatment.spiritJunior selected for seniorregional orchestraThis past fall, violinist Charlie fiddlerwas selected for the highly competitiveSenior Regional Orchestra of the VirginiaBand and Orchestra Directors Association(VBODA) Districts X, XI and XII. TheSenior Regional Orchestra is made up ofthe top music students from public andprivate high schools in Fairfax County,Arlington, Alexandria and Falls Church,which is considered by many to be themost competitive region for music in theCommonwealth of Virginia and among themost competitive districts in the UnitedStates. The Senior Regional Orchestraconvened for rehearsals and a specialperformance in November.winter musical—The LamplighterIn December, O’Connell theater studentsstaged an original musical adaptation ofCharles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol. Thisshow, entitled The Lamplighter, was adaptedfor the musical theater by O’Connell’s owntheater director Elizabeth Milam, along withRobert Casal and Nicholas Horner. Casal, aformer music teacher at Bishop O’Connell,recently finished his graduate studies in filmscoring at New York University. “He oozeswith talent,” says Milam. “We were luckyto catch him before he heads off to muchbigger things.” Horner, a 2006 graduateof Bishop O’Connell, who now serves astheater assistant at O’Connell, helped writerememberingfather Luis ValdiviesoIt is with a heavy heart thatthe O’Connell communityshares with you the deathof Father Luis Valdivieso onFebruary 3, 2011.Fr. Luis retired from BishopO’Connell in 2008, after a40-year career as a teacherand earlier a Chaplain tothe Christian Brothers whoresided at the school. Hecontinued to minister to theSpanish-speaking populationof the Diocese of Arlington.A funeral Mass — officiatedby Third Order Regular ofSt. Francis Father Alberto F.Bueno, parochial vicar of St.Joseph Parish in Herndonand a Valdivieso family friend— was offered Tuesday,February 8, at St. Anthonyof Padua Church in FallsChurch. Interment will beheld at a future date at WoodlawnSouth in Miami.“Father Luis was a kindheartedman with a deepFaith and a wonderful senseof humor who drew upona superb education and aninnate talent for connectingwith students in serving ourschool community for 40years,” says Principal JosephVorbach. “A quick look at anypicture of Father Luis revealsthe warm smile and thoughtfulexpression of a wise andcaring man. The news of hispassing, while filling us withsadness at Bishop O’Connell,has also occasioned theretelling of wonderful storiesabout a priest who left a lastingimpression on thousandsof students and colleagues.”Let us continue to offer ourprayers for Fr. Luis, for theconsolation of his family, andin thanks to God for the giftof his life which he sharedwith us so generously.7