The De La Salle Awards are nonrenewable $1,000 awards presented to incoming freshmen who exhibit excellent music skills and a desire to be involved actively in music during their high school years. Two instrumental and two vocal scholarships were awarded for the 2013-2014 school year.

Vocal award winners are Jessica Gliot (from St. James School in Falls Church) and Katherine Hales (from St. John Academy in McLean). Instrumental honors were awarded to Teresa Nguyen (from St. Michael School in Annandale) on the violin and Bennie Spady (from Gwynn Park Middle School in Brandywine, Md.) on the clarinet.

The De La Salle Awards were determined by audition and interview in the spring. Twenty-one students from area schools registered for the auditions, which consisted of a prepared piece, a scale for instrumentalists and vocalization for singers. In brief interviews, the students were asked to speak about their accomplishments and why music is important in their lives.

“We were impressed with the talent and poise of all of the candidates,” said music teacher Mary Beth St. John. “Our staff is excited to see the contributions that our winners will bring to our programs in the coming years.”

Pictured: Jessica Gliot (top left), Katherine Hales (top right), Teresa Nguyen (bottom left), and Bennie Spady (bottom right).

According to College Board, the administrators of the SAT, of the 1.6 million students who take the SAT each session, approximately 360 students receive a perfect score of 800 on all three sections: math, writing and critical reading. That number is equivalent to about 0.022 percent of all test takers.

Rom is a junior at Bishop O'Connell. “It certainly takes the pressure off as I enter my senior year in the fall,” said Rom, who already had his sights set on a few colleges, but may investigate a few more opportunities that come his way in the next year.

It has never been “all books all the time” for Rom. He is a member of the O’Connell rowing team, where he is the coxswain on the boys 2^nd varsity 4+ boat, which won the Washington Metropolitan Interscholastic Rowing Association title earlier this year. In the winter, he wrestled for the Knights.

Although his favorite subject right now is physics, he excels in all subjects. Rom and several other students founded a philosophy club this year, where they get together regularly to read and discuss topics of their choosing.

While some of his classmates may be busy brushing up on their test-taking skills over the summer, Rom is looking forward to more rowing, a trip to Italy and several weeks of pottery classes.

Boys State

The American Legion Post 85 has selected four students from Bishop O’Connell to participate in this summer’s Boys State, which is held June 16-22 at Radford University: Rhys Bergeron, Paul Bothwell, Jerome Delgaudio and Jethro Torczon.

American Legion Boys State is an educational program of government instruction for high school juniors. Each participant becomes a part of the operation of a simulated local, county and state government, and the students participate in legislative sessions, court proceedings, law enforcement presentations, assemblies, bands, chorus and recreational programs.

The Virginia Boys State is a "leadership action program,” designed to develop a working knowledge of the structure of government. Along the way participants have the opportunity to learn the political process. Each level of government is run by those delegates who are elected to serve. Instructional sessions focus on the law and court system, parliamentary procedure and Virginia political history.

Girls State

Bishop O’Connell junior, Elizabeth Dannenfelser, has been selected by American Legion Auxiliary Post 194 to participate in this summer’s Virginia Girls State, which will be held during the same week at Longwood University. This program is designed to provide functional citizenship training for young women who are rising high school seniors. Girls State affords these students an opportunity to live together as self-governing citizens, informing them about the duties, privileges, rights, and responsibilities of American citizenship, in order that they may understand and participate in the functioning of their government.

It is a week-long study of Virginia government that includes special activities and classes such as: women in government, judiciary, public speaking, public service, newspaper publishing, parliamentary procedure, activism in art, chorus, band and several athletic activities.

Junior Law Cadets

Two sisters from Bishop O’Connell, Allison and Veronica Sullivan, have been selected by American Legion Post 44 to participate in the 2013 Virginia Junior Law Cadet Program. This program is designed to present the opportunity for boys and girls to learn about law enforcement responsibilities and training from representatives of various city, county, state and federal agencies. The 23rd annual session in Virginia will take place July 14-19.

Approximately 40 eleventh graders students from across the commonwealth have been selected to attend this year’s Virginia Junior Law Cadet Program, which will be held at the Virginia State Police Academy in Richmond. During the five-day residential session, students will participate in daily classroom sessions, and learn about the operation of radar, VASCAR and other State Police equipment.

Claire Crutchfield – High School Volleyball Sportswoman of the Year
Michael Curtin – High School Wrestling Sportsman of the Year
Meagan David - High School Girls Track and Field Sportswoman of the Year
Junior Etou – High School Boys Basketball Sportsman of the Year
Jillian Ferraro - High School Softball Sportswoman of the Year
Clayton Koch - High School Ice Hockey Sportsman of the Year
Tommy Schefer - High School Boys Lacrosse Sportsman of the Year

In addition to these student honors, O'Connell's cross country and track coach, Cindy Walls, was surprised and honored to be named the 2013 Arlington Coach of the Year.

"This was a great evening for celebrating sports in Arlington,” said Athletic Director Joe Wootten. “We were especially thrilled to see Coach Walls recognized in this way, and for our students who receive these wonderful honors. We are grateful to the Better Sports Club for celebrating local high school sports and the importance of good sportsmanship.”

Read more about this event in the Arlington Sun Gazette.

Pictured below (left to right): Jillian Ferarro, Michael Curtin, Meagan David, Clayton Koch, Cindy Walls, Claire Crutchfield, Tommy Schefer, and Junior Etou.

Thanks to the hard work of PTO volunteers, Bishop O'Connell families can buy and sell used books and uniforms.

CLICK HERE to visit the Used Book and Uniform Sale page.

Questions? Contact usedbooksale@bishopoconnell.org.

Seniors Jillian Ferraro and Tori Finucane were named to the Softball 1st Team.

Three other O'Connell athletes were given Honorable Mention recognition:

Amanda Ehlers - Softball
Devin Nihill - Lacrosse
J.J. LaPointe - Track

"We are extremely proud of all of these athletes," said Athletic Director Joe Wootten. "In this very competitive area, this kind of recognition is especially noteworthy."

Go Knights!

Read the complete Spring 2013 All-Met listing in The Washington Post.

Watch a video feature and interview with Ferraro and Finucane HERE.

Pictured: Jillian Ferraro (left) and Tori Finucane.

Attention all rising Junior and Senior students who will be taking AP science courses next year, please pick up a copy of your summer assignments this week from the following teachers:

AP Biology – See Mrs. Curtin in Room 237

AP Chemistry – See Dr. Terapane in Room 231

AP Physics C Students - See Mr. Rennekamp in Room 235

AP Environmental Science – See Mr. Britt in Room 236

Attention students, as you clean out your lockers, please use the boxes in the hallways to donate school supplies to the Medical Missionaries and Interact Clubs. Supplies will be sent to Haiti and donated locally. Thank you!

Attention Underclassmen, all library books are now overdue; it is time to clean out your lockers and find those books! Return the books to the library and pay the fines. All books must be returned with their fines paid in order to take your exams.

Rising Seniors, if you are interested in the Theology Through Literature course, stop by room 220 during your lunch to get information from Ms. Thornton.

For any students taking the computer science fundamentals class during the summer, you must purchase the required textbook, Learning to Program with Alice, 3rd Edition. For students who are taking Intro to Technology, the suggested textbook is Discovering Computers & Microsoft Office 2010. Any questions - see Mr. Andrews.

There will be a meeting today of the Young Men's Executive Club in room 224 ! This is the last meeting of the school year. Any young man that is interested in joining should attend the meeting today!

Attention all rising Junior and Senior students who will be taking AP science courses next year, please pick up a copy of your summer assignments this week from the following teachers:

AP Biology – See Mrs. Curtin in Room 237

AP Chemistry – See Dr. Terapane in Room 231

AP Physics C Students - See Mr. Rennekamp in Room 235

AP Environmental Science – See Mr. Britt in Room 236

Attention students, as you clean out your lockers, please use the boxes in the hallways to donate school supplies to the Medical Missionaries and Interact Clubs. Supplies will be sent to Haiti and donated locally. Thank you!

Attention Underclassmen, all library books are now overdue; it is time to clean out your lockers and find those books! Return the books to the library and pay the fines. All books must be returned with their fines paid in order to take your exams.

The award, which recognizes not only outstanding athletic excellence, but also high standards of academic achievement and exemplary character demonstrated on and off the field, distinguishes Finucane as Virginia’s best high school softball player. Finucane is now a finalist for the prestigious Gatorade National Softball Player of the Year award announced in June.

The returning Gatorade State Player of the Year--a 5-foot-7 senior right-handed pitcher--led the Knights (30-1) to the Washington Catholic Athletic Conference tournament title and the Virginia Independent Schools state championship this past season, both for a second straight year. Finucane posted a 26-1 record with one save, a 0.21 ERA and 341 strikeouts in 164 innings pitched. She allowed 40 hits and walked 31 batters with nine no-hitters, including five perfect games. At the plate, the two-time WCAC Player of the Year batted .554 with six home runs, seven triples, 45 RBI and a 1.054 slugging percentage.

Finucane has maintained a 3.63 GPA in the classroom, while serving as editor of The Visor and volunteering locally as a youth softball coach and mentor.

“Tori Finucane’s performance on the softball field is above reproach, both offensively and in the pitching circle,” said Frank Husson, head coach of Urbana (Md.) High. “Her numbers are a testament to her determination and demonstrate the results of her sound work ethic.”

Finucane has signed a National Letter of Intent to play softball on an athletic scholarship at the University of Missouri this fall.

Read more at:

http://www.gatorade.com/poy/winners.aspx?sportcode=SB