School News

MND is pleased to announce the promotion of longtime varsity assistant Mr. Chris Lovett to Head Varsity Volleyball Coach at the school. Lovett, 31, replaces Joe Burke, who had to step down due to job-related commitments after leading the Cougars for the past nine seasons. Burke, who led MND to four Division 1 State Volleyball Championships during his tenure as head coach, will serve as the assistant varsity coach this year.

"Joe Burke has done a fabulous job with our volleyball program over the years. His dedication and commitment to the program is the reason that MND Volleyball is one of the best programs in the State of Ohio each year," said MND Athletic Director Mark Schenkel. "We are very excited to have Chris Lovett take over the volleyball program. The years of experience that he has coaching in our program and his knowledge of the game should make for a smooth transition."

Lovett has served as the MND varsity assistant coach for the past nine years. He is a graduate of Moeller High School where played volleyball and was a member of the Crusaders back-to-back state championship teams in 2004 and 2005. Lovett got his start in coaching at the University of Dayton, where he served as an undergraduate assistant for the women's volleyball team. Lovett graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Pre-Med in 2009 from the University of Dayton and holds two Masters' Degrees, one from the University of Phoenix in Business Administration and the other from the University of Cincinnati in Health Education/Health Promotion.

Lovett has coached for the Elevation Volleyball Club since 2009 and, in 2015, coached the 14-under National Team to a Fifth-Place finish at the USAV National Championship. Lovett and his wife, Kaitlin, currently reside in Over-the-Rhine.

MND held its Commencement Exercises for the 158^th Graduating Class – the Class of 2018 – on Tuesday, May 29th at the Sharonville Convention Center.During the ceremony, students listened to the valedictory address by Sydney Collins who was ranked first in her class, and the farewell address by Senior Class President, Veronica France. Approximately 79.5 percent of the graduating class received scholarship offers – a total of 577 scholarships equaling more than $21.4 million.

Principal Karen Day commented, "As a principal, I could not be prouder of our 161 graduates.Saint Julie Billiart said, 'teach them what they need to know for life' and our newest alumnae are prepared for their next journey.They are empowered and faith-filled young women who are poised to transform the world through their talents and gifts."

The following awards and medals were presented to members of the senior class:

• St. Julie Billiart Christian Leadership Award – Reilly Haas
• Medal for Academic Excellence – Sydney Collins
• Excellence in English – Elizabeth Carroll
• Excellence in French – Audrey Stevenson of Anderson
• Excellence in Information Technology & Business – Elizabeth Nartker
• Excellence in Latin – Mary Scott
• Excellence in Mathematics – Elise Meyer
• Excellence in Performing Arts – Amber Reinert
• Excellence in Religious Studies – Sarah Ray
• Excellence in Science – Natalie Steibel
• Excellence in Social Studies – Madeline Klug
• Excellence in Spanish – Hope Schneider
• Excellence in Visual Arts – Madelyn Shea

Local musician, Eliot Sloan of Blessed Union of Souls fame, recently finished up production of "The Sum of Us", a song he wrote based upon the reflections provided from our MND sophomores after their retreat this past year. MND students also did great job recording the background vocals used on the track! Here is a link to the video now available on the MND You Tube page: https://youtu.be/IdAPFPjjeZU

MND art students had the privilege of participating in a project that not only demonstrated their artistic skills but also their compassion. The Memory Project is a charitable nonprofit organization that invites art teachers and their students to create and donate portraits to youth around the world who have faced substantial challenges, such as violence, disasters, extreme poverty, neglect and loss of parents. Photos of children and teens are received from global charities operating residential homes, schools, and care centers in several different countries every year.

Students in Mrs. Beth Wurzelbacher's Art Foundations classes were presented with photos of teenagers from Russia and were tasked with drawing portraits that mirrored the photos as closely as possible. Once completed, the portraits were shipped to Russia and presented to the recipients. MND students included a photo of themselves to further solidify the shared bond of this unique experience.

According to the Memory Project, the portraits are intended to help the recipients feel valued and important, to know that many people care about their wellbeing, and to act as meaningful pieces of personal history in the future. For MND students, it was an opportunity to creatively practice compassion, kindness and global awareness.

MND Art Department Chairperson, Mrs. Shelly Brauer notes, "This was such a worthwhile project and a way to incorporate our teaching into an effort that is bigger than our school and our country". Since 2004, the Memory Project has organized more than 100,000 portraits for children in 43 countries.

MND is proud to announce that junior Caroline Rueter earned the highest possible ACT composite score of 36.On average, less than one-tenth of one percent of students who take the ACT earn the top score.In the U.S. high school graduating class of 2017, only 2,760 out of more than 2 million graduates who took the ACT earned a composite score of 36.

The ACT consists of tests in English, mathematics, reading and science, each scored on a scale of 1–36. A student's composite score is the average of the four test scores.

In a letter to Caroline recognizing her exceptional achievement, ACT Chief Executing Officer Marten Roorda stated, "Your achievement on the ACT is significant and rare. While the test score is just one of multiple criteria that most colleges consider when making admission decisions, your exceptional ACT composite score should prove helpful as you pursue your education and career goals".

This is the second MND student to achieve a perfect ACT composite score this year. Junior Julia Evans earned a score of 36 earlier this year. ACT test scores are accepted by all major four-year colleges and universities across the United States.

On April 26^th, MND held the Class of 2018 Showcase of Excellence.During the event, the MND community honors seniors who demonstrate outstanding characteristics in alignment with MND's three pillars of development: Academic, Spiritual and Student Development.

Seniors were nominated by their classmates as well as by members of MND's faculty and staff.Seniors selected to represent their class in the area of Academic Development include: Lydia Anderson (University of Notre Dame), Sydney Collins (Duke University), Danielle Harold (University of Notre Dame) and Natalie Steibel (University of Pittsburgh). Seniors selected in the area of Spiritual Development include: Mary Angela Guye (Xavier University), Reilly Haas (John Carroll University), Jenice Mario (Undecided) and Sarah Ray (Xavier University). Seniors selected in the area of Student Development include Veronica France (Ohio State), Julie Harmon (Ohio State), Sydney Jefferson (Miami University) and Emma Rodrigo (Ohio State).

MND Principal Mrs. Karen Day commented, "At MND, we celebrate empowerment as lived out in academic, spiritual and personal development which enables our students to learn, live, lead and serve in ways that positively impact our community and our world.We are blessed to showcase these twelve young women as representatives of the excellence across the 161 members of the Class of 2018 and their gifts have graced our community."

Congratulations to MND's Annie Fletcher '18 and Emma Benz '18 for being named Field Hockey Players of the Year at the Greater Cincinnati Sports Awards held on April 23rd at Music Hall. The awards are sponsored by the Cincinnati Enquirer.

MND Principal Karen Day was selected as the recipient of the Civitate Dei Award from the Archdiocese of Cincinnati. The Civitate Dei Award is given to the principal or principals who best exemplify the concept of Christian community amongst the principals. Awardees are principals who work to build a collaborative community between school leaders. They are unafraid to share or solicit ideas, and are eager to mentor less experienced principals. Ultimately, we are unified under a single mission and a single Church. Recipients of this award help to build a City of God, or Civitate Dei, in our Archdiocese by fostering a strong sense of community.

Congratulations, Mrs. Day!

MND held its annual Terrific Teacher/Angel Educator reception on April 19, 2018. Terrific Teachers are faculty/staff members honored for their dedication to excellence in their work at MND. Angel Educators are grade school educators honored for their dedication to excellence in their work in education. All honorees are nominated by current MND students. Congratulations to this year's honorees:

Angel Educators:
Mrs. Mary Betonte (St. Columban)
Mr. Clark Eads (Madeira Middle)
Mrs. Patty High (St. Michael)
Ms. Lauren Richardson (Mason Middle)

Terrific Teachers:
Mrs. Kelly Albainy-Crosby
Mrs. Meghan Butz
Mrs. Karen Day
Mrs. Kim Drefcinski
Mrs. Joann Felczan
Mrs. Carolyn Holman
Mr. Ben Hunt
Dr. Jeffrey Johnson
Mrs. Judy Metcalf
Mrs. Patricia Meyer
Mrs. Angela Pucci
Mrs. Georgia Rutschilling
Mrs. Kellie Siler
Mrs. Alison Volmer
Mrs. Elizabeth Venia
Ms. Paula Schute

MND Junior Maria Stein will be featured in The Young Artist's Preparatory Program's Opera Showcase in June 2018. YAPP is Cincinnati's premier opera apprentice program for high-school students. YAPP is composed of a group of extremely talented singers who have been working hard for nine months to prepare the annual showcase performance. The Young Artist's Preparatory Program, directed by Lincoln Chapman, is made up of 19 select young singers from 12 area high schools who have elected to study classical singing in this unique program offered by the Musical Arts Center.

Maria auditioned for YAPP in September 2017 by preparing two full length classical pieces and a monologue. Students were chosen based on their intellectual, interpretive and performing abilities, musical skills, maturity and integrity.

This year's Showcase also features six of the semi-finalists as well as the Winner of The Cincinnati Arts Association's Overture Awards held in early 2018! MND's very own Maria was one of the semi-finalists in the vocal category both in 2017 and 2018. This is a note-worthy accomplishment!

Performances take place at the Anderson Center on:

-Thursday, June 7 @ 7:30 PM
-Saturday, June 9th @ 2:00 PM and 7:30 PM
-Sunday, June 10th @ 2:00 PM

Contact the MAC Office 513-321-2766 for ticket information. Congratulations to Maria on her excellence in classical music!