apublicationofelizabe - Elizabeth Seton High School

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A P U B L I C A T I O N O F E L I Z A B E T H S E T O N H I G H S C H O O L

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S U M M E R 2 0 1 0 

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P R E S I D E N T ’ S 

M E S S A G E 

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F e a t u r e 

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S C R A P B O O K 

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A c a d e m i c S 

14 

A t h l e t i c s 

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M a r k e t i n g 

A d m i s s i o n s 

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A D V A N C E M E N T 

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A l u m n a e 

V i s i o n 

Elizabeth Seton High School provides a challenging college preparatory program for all young women who seek a community that celebrates 

diversity and creativity, fosters moral, spiritual, academic and physical growth, and promotes the Gospel values through service to others. 

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P R E S I D E N T ’ S 

M E S S A G E 

May 23, 2010 

Dear Friends, 

Today is the Feast of Pentecost, a time 

in which the church celebrates the 

bursting forth of the Spirit that led 

ordinary men and women to be on 

fire with Christ’s message. The Feast of 

Pentecost challenges all of us to unlock 

the doors of our hearts, to unleash the 

gifts we have been given, and to unearth 

our everyday actions with energy and 

excitement. 

It is my hope that our 50th Anniversary 

Year may have been a bit of a Pentecost 

experience for Seton: our celebrations 

bringing forth a new sense of 

connectedness that ignites all of us to 

advance the mission of a school gifted 

with a tremendous spirit. 

This first edition of S Magazine has 

been crafted to express the new energy 

and excitement of the Office of Seton 

Advancement. In the business world, I 

would say that our former Development 

Office has been re-structured, but I 

prefer to think of it as a spiritual rebirth. 

Our staff now includes Kelli 

Horton, Executive Director; Maureen 

McCart, Executive Manger; and Erica 

Corbin (’00), Associate Director. I am 

personally energized by this renewal as I 

believe it will enable Seton to open new 

doors for a vibrant future. However, for 

me to be on fire with this change, I have 

to see that it is connected to the heart of 

Seton: the students. 

And it was yesterday that I made 

this connection. I was reading recent 

surveys from all our stakeholders 

about the mission and vision of Seton. 

One question on the survey asked, 

“Should any concept be added to Seton’s 

mission?” A student answered as follows: 

“Yes, the bonds that we form that 

take us well beyond graduation: our 

sisterhood.” Her words stayed with me 

as I gathered, later, with my sister and 

her Seton friends for the evening. 

Yes, anonymous student, you are 

right! Any re-birth must be about our 

sisterhood: strengthening the ties that 

connect us to one another and to those 

who come after us and in particular, 

those who need our financial assistance. 

I can’t even imagine turning my back on 

one of my sisters (Maureen, Margaret, or 

Susan) when they need me. No matter 

how busy we get, or how different we 

are, they are my sisters. Likewise, it 

has to be the same with my sisters at 

Seton! We give one another our gifts to 

support one another, to strengthen one 

another, and to shoulder one another’s 

burdens. This was brought home to me 

this month when a member of my class 

lost her 21 year old son. Time stood still; 

nothing mattered to me except getting 

to her, being with her and praying for 

her. 

What greater gift; what more compelling 

call; what more flaming fire could call us 

to the renewal of Seton Advancement! 

May this Spirit of Seton inflame all of 

us, donors, friends, and alumnae to 

advance the mission of Seton, and may 

this same Spirit continue to give us the 

light to know and the grace to do! 

Warmly, 

Sister Ellen Marie 

President 

M i s s i o n 

The mission of Elizabeth Seton High School is to educate young women in the Spirit of St. Elizabeth Ann Seton 

and St. Vincent de Paul, stressing Catholic values, academic excellence and service to those in need. 

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C O N G R A T S 

G R A D U A T E 

Elise O’Meara gives thumbs up for class of 2010!

S 

A W A R D S & R E C O G N I T I O N 

NATIONAL MERIT SCHOLARSHIP 

PROGRAM 

COMMENDED STUDENTS 

Emily Sahadeo 

Olivia Smarr 

NATIONAL ACHIEVEMENT 

PROGRAM 

COMMENDED STUDENTS 

Kayla Hyatt 

Moyenda Kulemeka 

Kaitlyn Richards 

Miya Sharpe 

Jessica Taylor 

NATIONAL ACHIEVEMENT 

SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM 

FINALIST 

Olivia Smarr 

NATIONAL HISPANIC 

RECOGNITION PROGRAM 

Cynthia Whoolery 

MARYLAND DISTINGUISHED 

SCHOLARS PROGRAM 

HONORABLE MENTION, 

ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT 

Diana Acosta 

Monica Adams 

Annette Englehart 

Shannon James 

Rachael Rogers 

Emily Sahadeo 

Rachel Whiteley 




FINALIST, ACADEMIC 

ACHIEVEMENT 

Olivia Smarr 



HONORABLE MENTION, TALENT 

AND ARTS 

Kathryn Jamolin 

Visual Arts 


Vocal Music 


Instrumental Music 



FINALIST, TALENT AND ARTS 

Gabriela Sotomayor 

Vocal Music: 

ROBERT C. BYRD HONORS 

SCHOLARSHIP, MARYLAND 

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION 


STATE OF MARYLAND MERIT 

SCHOLASTIC AWARD 

Diana Acosta 

Monica Adams 



Emily Sahadeo 

Olivia Smarr 


NATIONAL HONOR SOCIETY 

CERTIFICATE OF MERIT 

Diana Acosta 


NATIONAL HONOR SOCIETY 

MEMBERS 

Diana Acosta 

Monica Adams 

Meaza Belachew 

Nicolasa Chavez 

Melissa DeSoto 


Gayla Freeman 

Dionna Gamble 

Shannon James 

Emma Klotz 


Taylor LaChance 

Mary Leahy 

Chloe McKenzie 

Sarah Nash 

Oluwaremilekun Ojurongbe 

Nneka Oputa 

Liliana Orellana 

Olusade Oyalowo 


Alaina Robey 


Emily Sahadeo 

Mary Salers 

Olivia Smarr 


Allison Walls 

Julia Weatherly 


LUCILLE WOODBURN MEMORIAL 

AWARD 

Kerri Moore 

ST. ELIZABETH ANN SETON 

SCHOLARSHIP FOR SERVICE 


Megan Rozanski 

COLLEGE PARK LIONS CLUB 

Kayla Hyatt 


SENATOR DOUGLAS J.J. PETERS 

SENATORIAL SCHOLARSHIP 

Nia Duke 

Departmental Awards 

ENGLISH 


MATHEMATICS 


SCIENCE 

Olivia Smarr 

SOCIAL STUDIES 

Diana Acosta 

FOREIGN LANGUAGE 

French: Rachael Rogers 

Spanish: Chloe McKenzie 

MUSIC 

Instrumental: Taylor LaChance 

Choral: Moyenda Kulemeka 

ART 

Cynthia Hernandez 

PHYSICAL EDUCATION 

Courtney Ball 

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S A L U TAT O R I A N 

RACHEL WHITELEY 

Throughout her four years at Seton, Rachel 

was a Scholar, soccer player, and a Girl 

Scout. She was a member of the Seton JV 

soccer team for three years and a captain in 

her junior year. She played Varsity soccer in 

her senior year. In addition to Seton soccer, 

she played for the BSU “Storm” club soccer 

team all throughout high school and was a 

captain of her club team in her junior and 

senior years. In her Girl Scout troop, she held 

the office of treasurer in her freshman year. 

During her last three years at Seton, she has 

been a Seton Ambassador and a member of 

the National Honor Society, serving as NHS 

Treasurer in her senior year. At the end of 

her junior year, she was the recipient of the 

George Washington University Engineering 

Medal for Excellence in Math and Science. 

In the fall, Rachel will be attending 

the University of Maryland, College 

Park, in the honor College, majoring in 

Kinesiological Science. 

INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY 


RELIGIOUS STUDIES 


CHRISTIAN SERVICE AWARD 


Erica Goldring 

Valerie Hall 

FRED WARING DIRECTOR’S 

AWARD 


DIRECTOR’S AWARD FOR BAND 

Erica Ellis 

CARLOS ALEXANDER SPIRIT 

AWARD 

Adenike Pedro 

MAUREEN LONERGAN AWARD 


ROADRUNNER AWARD 

Samantha Colein 


KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS 


The Kiwanis Club of Prince 

George’s County Award 

Emily Sahadeo 

National Choral Award 


John Philip Sousa Award 

Elizabeth Partenheimer 

National Orchestral Award 

Jokotade Dosunmu 

Scholar Athlete Award 


The Elizabeth Seton High 

School Service Award 




Olivia Smarr 

The Elizabeth Seton High 

School President’s Award 

Diana Acosta 

CARDINAL AWARD 


HONOR GRADUATES 

Diana Acosta 

Monica Adams 


Avielle Bender 

Mikkea Carter 


Kellie Cooke 


Nia Duke 


Gayla Freeman 

Dionna Gamble 


Kayla Hyatt 

Ambrosia Iwugo 

Shannon James 

Kelly Jun 

Emma Klotz 



Mary Leahy 


Oluwaremilekun Ojurongbe 

Victoria Oladipo 

Nneka Oputa 




Sarah Nash 

Juliette Rakotomalala 


Alaina Robey 


Emily Sahadeo 

Mary Salers 

Miya Sharpe 

Olivia Smarr 


Nora Stack 

Courtney Swinson 




PRINCIPAL’S LEADERSHIP AWARD 


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C L A S S O F 2 0 1 0 

Diana Acosta 

Monica Adams 

Dechia Adesegun 

Bryna Ambrose 

Angela Arnheim 

Courtney Ball 

Ashley Bamgbopa 


Avielle Bender 

Jasmine Buford 

Amanda Burian 

Lauren Butler 

Jasmine Carter 

Mikkea Carter 

Meredith Casey 


Natalie Clagett 

Katie Clarke 

Allison Colby 

Samantha Colein 

Kellie Cooke 

Heather Curran 

Erica Daniels 

Haley Davis 


Sophy Diaz 

Jokotade Dosunmu 

Nia Duke 

Erica Ellis 


Gayla Freeman 

Dionna Gamble 

Jacqueline Gardner 

Alexis Gary 

Luwam GebreMeskel 

Erica Goldring 

Summer Gray 

Heather Grondalski 

Valerie Hall 

Alyse Hamilton 

Cassidy Harry 

Ashley Hawkins 

August Hayes 


Lindsay Herring 

Tyra Hinton 

Tyler Holley 

Chelsee Holloway 

Adanma-Noni Huria 

Shanaye Hurtt 

Kayla Hyatt 

Elizabeth Hynes 


Crystal Jackson 

Shannon James 

Kathryn Jamolin 

Joi Johnson 

Keisha Jones 

Taylor Jones 

Shannon Jordan-Dawson 

Allison Joyner 

Jessica Julien 

Kelly Jun 

Patricia Kelshaw 

Emma Klotz 



Mary Leahy 

Colleen Libcke 

Charnise Littles 

Leah Loftin 

Erica MacHare 

Tyaunna Marshall 

Alexis Martin 

Kathleen Martin 

Alison McClurg 

Tiara McCray 

Jasmine McGill 


Sekayi McPherson 

Myava Mitchell 

Kerri Moore 

Niana Moore 

Janelle Murphy 

Sarah Nash 

Oluwaremilekun 

Ojurongbe 

Elizabeth O’Meara 

Victoria Oladipo 

Nneka Oputa 



Nicole Parrotta 


Hailey Patrick 

Kiersten Paul 

Adenike Pedro 

Bianca Pete 

Maya Pitts 

Melanie Pope 

Megan Powers 

Katrina Proctor 

Mandy Pullen 

Courtney Quarles 

Michelle Quintanilla 

Juliette Rakotomalala 

Andrea Reyes 


Julia Roberts 

Alaina Robey 


Asha Roper 

Roshaunda Ross 

Megan Rozanski 

Emily Sahadeo 

Emily Salers 

Mary Salers 

Regina Sealey 

Devena Seecharran 

Miya Sharpe 

Gretchen Sims 

Olivia Smarr 

Jasmine Smith 

Ria Smith 

Caroline Soter 


Nora Stack 

Maya Swann 

Courtney Swinson 


Meyana Thorne 

Chelsea Tull 

Symone’ Turner 

Madeline Tutman 

Alicia Walls 

Allison Walls 




Hillary Wright 

VA L E D I C T O R I A N 

R A C H A E L R O G E R S 

Rachael was admitted into the Scholars program 

as an incoming freshman. She served as the 

Scholars Representative for three years. She 

participated in both JV Volleyball and JV Lacrosse. 

Sophomore year, Rachael was admitted into the 

National Honor Society and the Ambassadors 

club. She was the Art Club Publicity chair in 

her sophomore year, and served as the President 

for both her junior and senior years. She was 

selected as a Washington, D.C. delegate to the 

Anti-Defamation League Youth Leadership 

Mission as a junior; there were 150 participants 

nationwide. In her senior year she also served as 

the NHS President while taking four AP courses: 

AP Calculus BC, AP Government, AP Literature 

and AP Psychology. Rachael took a total of five 

AP courses during her four years at Seton (the 

fifth is AP Biology taken during Junior year). 

As a senior, she has completed four years of 

French, and participated in different internships 

during the summers. Her first internship was 

at the National Aquarium in Baltimore. The 

summer after her junior year, she interned at 

the National Institutes of Health (specifically 

NIMH - National Institutes of Mental Health) 

where she conducted scientific research on a 

cellular and molecular level focusing primarily 

on a Schizophrenic risk gene’s influence on cell 

communication and development. This summer, 

she will be interning with the Anti-Defamation 

League in Washington, D.C. She is excited 

to be attending Barnard College of Columbia 

University in New York City in the fall. 

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Seniors Tyuanna 

Marshall, Miya 

Sharpe and Roshaunda 

Ross enjoy the sun 

and a photo op 

Dorothy Singletary ‘12, 

Maggie O’Brien ‘12 

Megan Mulhare ‘12; 

Seton Sister Bond! 

Felicia Taliafero ‘11, 

Marissa Carrillo ‘11 

and a classmate test 

their hypotheses in 

our newly renovated 

chemistry lab 

Jessica Seidleck, 

Danielle Burns, 

Kelly Sinclair; 

look at those 

BIG smiles! 

Seton girls 

cracking those 

books for exams 

in the library! 

Freshman Devon 

Denman enjoying 

the day with her 

guest shadow - 

future roadrunner 

Leah Hamel ‘14

Rose Commins, 

Linda Pitts, 

Natalie Peters, 

Ann Marie Simon, 

Elizabeth Berry 

Seniors’ 

Last Day! 

Sarah Nash ‘10; 

taking a well 

deserved break 

from orchestra 

to smile for 

the camera 

Crew team 

stands 

Strong! 

Alex Hill ‘13; talk about 

multi-tasking; 

extra study time 

and fresh air while 

walking around 

Lonergan Field Track 

Setonites stand 

as one! Amber Ray 

Davidson, 

Caitlin Werle & 

Chanel Harley

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CADEMICS

S e t o n W o m e n a t a G l a n c e 

Blink and it is over…before you know it, 

May is here in all of its glory. After four 

years of learning the ins and outs of 

the Seton hallways, scrambling to beat 

the bell for class, and finally cashing in 

on the opportunity to enter the Senior 

Lounge, The Class of 2010 has life all 

figured out. Then, out of nowhere, 

graduation day quietly shows up, and 

it is time to bid Elizabeth Seton farewell. 

All things the students know and 

understand suddenly change and the 

security and comfort in that notorious 

bell for class is gone. 

With every graduating class 

comes a special uniqueness, 

from their style of dress to the 

tricks they play on the freshman. 

The Class of 2010, however, stands out 

as a creative class. Tradition says that 

every year the Senior Class gives a gift 

to Seton. 

This year, the Class of 2010 decided 

to take it a step further and give back 

to the Seton Community by adopting 

a student. Thanks to innovative 

fundraising, and believing in the 

inevitable, The 2010 Class surpassed 

their class goals and accumulated 

enough money to help a student pay 

for books and other school necessities. 

This ground-breaking and diverse group 

of ladies will go down in Seton history! 

Although each graduating class may 

be different from the next, they all 

share one common trait. Every girl who 

enters through Seton’s doors leaves as 

a woman with an elevated confidence 

level, a sense of empowerment, and 

a brand new outlook on the world. 

Styles change from class to class; 

personalities differ among classmates; 

and the freshman gags continue to get 

more creative with time, but Elizabeth 

Seton High School’s promise to give 

every one of her ladies the “Light to 

Know and the Grace to Do” will never 

change. Four very unique women 

from the Class of 2010 are shining 

examples of this promise. Each one 

has a different dream after graduation; 

yet all four of them carry in their hearts 

the morals, knowledge, and words 

of encouragement from their time at 

Elizabeth Seton High School. 

Chloe McKenzie exclaims, “I will 

be a member of the United Nations one 

day!” She is a graduating senior who 

will be attending Amherst College on a 

scholarship. She wants to double major 

in Anthropology and Foreign Language 

(Spanish, Italian, and Arabic). Chloe 

is an outstanding scholar who played 

varsity soccer and was the Senior Class 

president. This extraordinary young 

woman carries a passion for equality, 

justice, peace, and the human race. 

She believes that “being different 

is normal”. 

At a young age, Chloe learned to see 

all people as equal. Her enthusiasm to 

change the world, promote social justice 

and build peace bled into her life at 

Seton. Seton’s social justice teacher, Mr. 

McCluskey, encouraged her to join the 

Anti-Defamation League (ADL), which 

was credited as “the nation’s premier 

civil rights/human relations agency”. 

The ADL played a significant role in 

broadening her horizons about the 

importance of defending the ideals and 

civil rights of all people and building 

awareness of the injustices faced in 

the past and present. Chloe gained a 

greater knowledge about genocides 

such as the Holocaust and a better 

understanding about the importance 

of valuing human life and providing 

equality for the whole human race. She 

also took it upon herself to teach her 

classmates these same lessons. 

“When I started learning about 

Darfur, I could not stop.” Curiosity 

led Chloe to learn more about the 

crisis occurring in the Darfur region. 

As she familiarized herself about 

the genocides taking place, Chloe 

informed Seton about the injustice and 

how they could help. She created an 

after school program called P.E.A.C.E 

(Promoting Equality, Acceptance, and 

Compassion Everywhere) to help 

spread the awareness of the Darfur 

crisis. P.E.A.C.E members studied the 

history of Darfur, the colonization, 

and the reasons behind the genocide. 

They also researched other genocides 

such as the Bosnian genocide and the 

Holocaust. P.E.A.C.E has had great 

success in raising not only awareness 

for Darfur, but also in raising money 

to support the victims. Chloe received 

the Frederick Douglass and Susan B. 

Anthony award for her pioneer work 

on Darfur awareness. The members of 

P.E.A.C.E vowed to continue Chloe’s 

work as she journeys on to continue 

spreading justice and peace around the 

world. 

Over the last four years, Chloe has 

watched her Seton Sisters become more 

aware and accepting of diversity. She 

says, “Education is the biggest thing 

to happen in a person’s life.” As Chloe 

continues on to Amherst College, 

she hopes that the underclassmen 

continue to take their studies at Seton 

seriously and use their knowledge to 

be conscientious of the world. 

Annette Englehart’s love for 

mechanics began in junior high school 

with a broken lock. She was able to fix 

it with no problem, and from that point 

on, she knew she had a gift. 

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A C A D E M I C S (continued) 

Annette will be attending The 

University of Maryland Baltimore 

County (UMBC) this fall where she 

will major in mechanical engineering. 

Annette says, “I am going into a male 

dominated field, but Seton has really 

empowered me to step up and take on 

that challenge.” She is a well-rounded 

student who excels in academics and 

participates in school activities. She 

has been part of the National Honor 

Society Induction Committee, on the 

Seton Council for three years, and 

a delegate for the Anti-Defamation 

League. “I want to do well in school for 

myself,” Annette says about her work 

ethic at Seton. Her hard work has 

paid off as she has been awarded a full 

scholarship to UMBC from the Center 

of Women & Information Technology 

program. She loves working on cars 

and hopes to one day build ships 

for the Navy or work for NASA as a 

mechanical engineer. 

“Seton really develops us into women, 

especially since it is an all-girls 

school.” Annette continues, “I don’t 

think I would have gotten the same 

education, or become who I am today, 

if it wasn’t for Seton.” Her experiences 

here have taught her to see the detailed 

beauty in all people and creation. 

Furthermore, Seton has helped her to 

develop a relationship with God. She 

says, “I would not be where I am today 

if it wasn’t for Him.” 

Diana Acosta was a scholar, vice 

president for the National Honor 

Society, and a Seton Ambassador. On 

top of her involvement with 

extracurricular activities, she enrolled 

in three AP classes in one semester. 

Regardless of her work load, Diana still 

shined as a very bright student. Then, 

on a whim, “just to see if she would get 

in,” Diana applied to Harvard. Always 

the diligent worker and outstanding 

student, there was not one person who 

was surprised when she received her 

acceptance letter plus a full-ride, 

except Diana, “It was a shock to me!” 

Diana attributed her motivation to her 

family life and spiritual life. She 

received so much from her parish, St. 

Ambrose, where Diana is currently 

the youngest member on the 

Parish Council. 

There is no doubt that she is ready 

for the next challenge in her life. She 

credits Seton’s rigorous curriculum 

as a strong preparation for Harvard. 

Spending Friday nights studying 

and catching up on sleep instead of 

hanging out with friends, Diana’s 

maturity and work ethic go far beyond 

a normal high school senior. 

Scholarships Help Seton 

Fulfill Its Mission 

Sister Ellen Marie proudly celebrates the 

award of three scholarships this June that help 

Seton fulfill its mission of service to others and 

assistance to those in need. According to Sister 

Ellen Marie, “Seton is slated to give over $300,000 

in scholarship money in school year 2010-2011. 

This money is in direct response to the many 

requests we have received for financial aid. 

When people establish a scholarship in memory 

of someone that they love or admire, or to 

honor leadership characteristics of students, 

they are opening a door for a family to receive 

the help that they need.” Seton has made the 

commitment to help students whose families 

are homeless, or who suffer job loss, terminal 

illness, or permanent disability. Scholarships are 

an immeasurable means of support to those 

students whose talents and abilities are endless, 

but whose resources are often extremely limited. 

From Grief to Grace: 

The Lucille Woodburn 

Senior Scholarship 

Dale (Doc) Woodburn has been a familiar face 

at Seton since 1988 when he joined the faculty 

as a math teacher. Those who knew Doc also 

knew his wife, Lucille, who was a faithful friend 

of Seton. 

Lucille and Dale met when they were both 

young teachers in Prince George’s County. The 

time they shared as friends was changed when 

Dale left teaching to serve in The Korean War. 

Lucille refused to let distance end their friendship. 

Instead, she wrote daily, often sending care 

packages of cookies with her letters. 

When Dale returned home, the couple resumed 

their relationship: this time, officially dating. 

Dale’s first thought of losing Lucille occurred 

when Lucille announced that she had been 

thinking about attending an educational 

conference in California and then moving there 

to teach. That night, Dale asked Lucille for her 

hand in marriage, and she accepted. Whether 

Lucille was really considering California, or just 

trying to move Dale along was a constant joke 

in their marriage with Lucille’s answer always the 

same: “You’ll never know.” But Dale did know, 

and Lucille knew that he knew because they 

enjoyed 41 years of a loving marriage and from 

that love, they raised three children. 

In 1995, Doc’s fear of losing Lucille was no longer 

the joke of a young married couple, but the 

heartache of a happily married man. Lucille 

was killed in an auto accident as they drove to 

the airport for a trip to see their children. Doc 

remembers, “For two or three years, I did nothing, 

but grieve. I loved Lucille so much.” Slowly his 

grief brought him a new grace: the desire to start 

The Lucille Woodburn Scholarship at Elizabeth 

Seton High School. Doc continues, “I wanted to 

award a senior with $1000 scholarship, a senior 

who emulated my wife’s goodness, kindness, 

wholesomeness, and friendliness. The student 

would not have to earn the highest GPA, but she 

would have to get along with people every day 

and show them that she loves them.” 

Past recipients of this award include our own 

faculty member, Courtney Hunt. Courtney 

makes it easy for us to visualize what Doc saw 

in Lucille. 

This year’s recipient is Kerri Moore, a student 

chosen by Doc and confirmed by Mrs. Pasterick 

and the guidance office. Thank you, Kerri, for 

your every day example of goodness. Thank 

you, Beverly and Tim, for raising such a wonderful 

young woman. Every day, Kerri, you have made 

it easier for one man’s heart to move from grief 

to grace. 

1 2

She expects to work hard at Harvard, 

but also to take some time out to enjoy 

life and have fun! This fall, while she 

is settling into Harvard as a freshman, 

Diana is looking forward to discovering 

herself and exploring the humanities 

as a potential major. As far as she is 

concerned, the sky is the limit! “All of 

my dreams have culminated in that 

Harvard acceptance letter,” says Diana. 

Rest assured that Diana will continue 

to remain strong academically. One 

Seton lesson that she will take with her 

is her deep-seated faith. 

“Physics is the study of everything.” 

Olivia Smarr said that her greatest 

experience at Elizabeth Seton High 

School happened in Honors Physics 

class when they launched selfassembled 

rockets, “It was nice to see 

something that we created as a team 

actually take off.” 

Olivia Smarr loves science and math, 

“They answer the questions why and 

how.” This summer will be her third 

internship at NASA Goddard Space 

Flight Center where she has studied 

exoplanets and “forming stars” called 

protostars. Then she packs her bags 

for Stanford University where she will 

major in physics and begin her journey 

toward a Ph.D. She wants to work for 

NASA doing astrophysics research and 

helping the United States understand 

the importance of NASA’s work. “One 

of my goals is to work in the White 

House Office of Science, Technology 

and Policy, and, hopefully, to be an 

administrator of NASA. I want to help 

people understand how important 

science is to our country.” Olivia has 

already made her presence known at 

the White House where she has been 

invited to present awards to astronauts 

upon their completion of a mission, 

and to teach middle school children 

about astronomy. 

As Olivia prepares to travel across 

the country to begin her new life at 

Stanford University, she feels ready 

and prepared to take her next steps. 

Her time at Seton has taught her 

that excellent grades are a must, but 

acquiring a firm grasp of academic 

concepts and life’s lesson is more 

important. She says, “In my last four 

years here, I’ve worked hard not to 

just get the grade, but to gain the 

knowledge. It’s about learning as much 

as you can to get to where you need 

to be.” Olivia stands out as a leader 

among her classmate at Seton. She has 

been the president of the Onyx Club, 

the founding member of the Liturgical 

Dancers, and she has accomplished so 

much at a young age. Olivia, like many 

other graduates who once walked the 

halls, has built her legacy at Seton 

High School. She wants everyone to 

remember that success is about sharing 

your gifts, talents, and knowledge with 

the world around you, “The gifts you 

have are to be shared and to help inspire 

other people.” 

PARENT ORGANIZATION 

PROMOTES SETON’S 

MISSION OF SERVICE WITH 

SCHOLARSHIPS 

The officers of the Elizabeth Seton High School 

Parent Organization began a scholarship 

program this year to recognize students whose 

community service demonstrates their living of 

Seton’s mission: 

We educate young women in the Spirit of 

St. Elizabeth Ann Seton and St. Vincent de 

Paul stressing Catholic values, academic 

excellence, and service to those in need. 

The officers decided that they would raise 

$1000 for this scholarship through their annual 

spaghetti dinner. The hard work of the officers 

coupled with the support of Seton families 

enabled the Parent Organization to give not 

one, but two $1000 scholarships, to two Seton 

students whose records of service were simply 

outstanding. 

After soliciting applications in April, the Parent 

Organization awarded these scholarships at 

the Baccalaureate Mass to Taylor LaChance 

and Megan Rozanski, both members of the 

senior class. 

According to Linda Gast, President of the 

Parent Organization, both recipients were 

chosen because of the breadth and depth of 

their service, and the strength of their essays 

and recommendation letters. Taylor has 

devoted over 100 hours alone to St. Jerome’s 

Café, which provides food for the poor and 

needy at St. Jerome’s Catholic Church, her 

home parish. In addition to volunteering at 

the Café since she was in elementary school, 

Taylor recently renovated the Café’s pantry, 

developed an instruction manual for team 

leaders, and created a recipe booklet for 

the cooks. For these efforts, she also received 

the highest award given by the Girl Scouts, 

her Gold Award. Taylor also likes to serve by 

cleaning up the environment, helping with 

the Special Olympics, and volunteering at the 

National Zoo, just to name a few of her good 

deeds. Of her service, Taylor said, “I know that 

even though it is not always expressed, the 

people I serve appreciate what I do. This is the 

only thanks I need; anything else is a bonus.” 

Likewise, Megan was selected because of her 

evident commitment to service. With over 200 

documented hours of service over just the past 

four years, some of her volunteer service has 

included distributing food for SOME (So Others 

Might Eat), assisting with Vacation Bible School, 

raising funds for her parish and serving as a 

Confirmation retreat leader. In addition, for the 

past four years she has been a teacher’s aide 

to the 4th grade Sunday school class at Holy 

Family Catholic Church, her home parish. She 

loves working with all the children in the class, 

but two children, who have mental disabilities, 

have made an indelible impression. “By helping 

out in this class, I have learned patience, and 

I have learned that my calling in life is to be a 

special education teacher because of the joy I 

have when I work with these children.” 

When asked if the Parent Organization hoped 

to offer these scholarships again next year, 

Linda responded, “The St. Elizabeth Ann 

Seton Scholarship for Service was established 

not as a one-time award, but as a long term 

commitment by the Parent Organization to 

honor Seton students who exemplify the values 

of and commitment to a life of service. We 

anticipate at least one award each year for 

many, many years to come!” 

The Seton Community salutes Taylor LaChance 

and Megan Rozanski because they have shown 

that the poor are our brothers and sisters whom 

we are called to serve with cordiality, respect, 

and devotion. St. Vincent de Paul once said, 

“If a person goes to serve the poor ten times a 

day, then ten times a day that person will find 

God.” Likewise St. Elizabeth Ann Seton said, 

“Every good work we do is a grain of seed for 

eternal life.” Taylor and Megan remind us all of 

the importance of finding God in our service to 

others, and of living life today in hope of the joy 

of heaven. 

1 3

1 4 

T H L E T I C S

P e r s e v e r a n c e Pav e s t h e W ay . . . 

Hard work, dedication, 

heart, determination, and 

teamwork! On May 14th and 

15th Elizabeth Seton’s Varsity Outdoor 

Track Team brought home their fourth 

consecutive WCAC Championship 

win. The air was filled with nerves and 

excitement as the track team marched 

onward to victory. They saw the sky 

as the limit! With seven seniors moving 

on to college, the big question in the 

WCAC was left unanswered, “Will 

Seton remains one of the WCAC’s 

strongest competitor?” Seton’s star 

track team answered that question 

with a powerful “YES!” as they pulled 

off the WCAC victory. Winning the 

championship proved that they will 

continue to be a powerhouse, and 

Head coach Omar Wilkins agrees, “The 

future remains bright!” 

Everyone remembers the double 

whammy blizzard that pounded the 

Metro Area. How could you forget? 

People were stranded at home because 

the roads were too treacherous to 

travel. Everything shut down; the 

schools, the Federal Government; 

even the local stores were closed for 

business. The mess left behind by the 

storm posed an even bigger dilemma. 

Everything was buried under the snow, 

including Seton’s track. Outdoor track 

season was in full swing and their first 

meet was quickly approaching. Thanks 

to the snowy disruption, their practice 

time had been cut short. There was no 

definite answer when the track would 

be shoveled since roads and parking 

lots took precedence. Coach Omar let 

the ladies know of the situation, “If you 

want to be great, then we need to get 

that track clear for practice because we 

might not see it in the spring.” The girls 

went into action and decided to take 

fate into their own hands. They rose 

early on a Saturday morning, with their 

parents, and gathered their shovels, 

snow blowers, and hot chocolate, and 

drove to Seton where everyone worked 

to clear three lanes for practice. Omar 

Wilkins praised the team, “It took us 

six hours to shovel, but it showed their 

dedication, whereas we could have just 

stayed home.” 

“It’s all about heart and determination!” 

Coach Omar and his staff have instilled 

into the track team that their school 

name alone will not win track meets. 

They must put in the time, work, and 

the effort as well as have the heart, 

in order to be the greatest. The seven 

graduating seniors are as follow: 

Adenike Pedro, Bianca Pete, Ambrosia 

Iwugo, Leah Loftin, Tade Dosunmu, 

Joi Johnson, Asha Roper, and Kaitlyn 

Richards. They have been excellent 

leaders who set the bar for their 

teammates on and off the track. This 

year’s WCAC Championship was the 

true test. Coach Omar decided to give 

the underclassmen a chance to shine 

and carry the team to victory, and they 

pulled it off. With many of the seniors 

attending college on a track scholarship, 

Coach Omar did not want to potentially 

expose them to any risk of injury 

and jeopardize their college career. 

Therefore, the team came together 

and made the necessary adjustments. 

At one point in the competition, the 

ladies were neck and neck with Bishop 

McNamara. Coach Omar gathered his 

team for a pep talk. “We have to step 

up!” The team rose to the occasion, 

and secured a fourth championship for 

Elizabeth Seton. “I wanted to make sure 

[the underclassmen] knew that I had 

confidence in them,” said Omar. Thus, 

as the WCAC trophy sits in the main 

lobby of the school, it represents more 

than just a victory. It also represents 

the track team’s confidence and faith in 

their coaches and themselves. 

The coaching staff for Seton’s Track 

Team makes it a priority to help 

the seniors obtain a scholarship for 

college. Coach Omar believes that, “It 

is always a success when you can say 

that the majority of your seniors either 

received an academic scholarship 

or a track scholarship.” The team 

has just about reached their goal 

with many of the senior track stars 

receiving some type of scholarship 

money, academic or track. Coach 

Omar stresses to his runners, “if you 

can get an academic scholarship, do 

it, because if you get hurt you will 

have something to fall back upon.” At 

the end of every season, the coaching 

staff prepares the upcoming juniors 

for the beginning stages of creating 

a college packet to send to their 

top three schools, showcasing their 

greatest achievements. The focus for 

next year will make the ladies even 

more marketable to colleges as the 

coaching staff grooms them for steeper 

competition. Coach Omar hopes 

to have the ladies compete on the 

Maryland Public Schools State level, 

and even travel outside of the area to 

track meets. 

Two outstanding seniors, Adenike 

“Nike” Pedro and Ambrosia Iwugo, 

have been fantastic with pushing the 

track team to go beyond their comfort 

zone and set the bar high for success. 

They have been a part of the track 

team for all four years, are nationally 

ranked, and both are receiving full 

track scholarships to the college of 

their choice. In the fall, Adenike will 

travel to the University of Ohio, and 

Ambrosia will head up to Temple 

University in Philadelphia. Without a 

doubt, the track team will miss these 

two exceptional athletes and leaders. 

1 5

A T H L E T I C S (continued) 

Adenike Pedro 

Adenike “Nike” Pedro 

Adenike Pedro has many 

accomplishments under her belt 

such as making 1st team All-Met, and 

participating in the Junior Olympics 

for two consecutive years. Her 

Elizabeth Seton press release lists her 

as a participant in the 55 meter dash, 

the 60 meter dash, the 200 meter 

dash, the long jump, and the 4x200 

meter relay, for the indoor season. 

Her outdoor events are the 100 meter 

dash, the 200 meter dash, the long 

jump, and the 4x100 meter relay. 

Adenike is the “big sister” who leads 

the pack. “She’s always encouraging 

her teammates to be better,” says 

Coach Omar. Her teammates believe 

in her, and she believes in them, 

and that is their formula for success. 

Adenike’s work ethic is astonishing. 

She strives to be the best not only on 

the field, but also, in the classroom. 

Coach Omar reminisces, “I’m going to 

miss that about her. The team really 

looks up to her because she never 

complains; she just keeps pushing.” 

It was heart-wrenching for her 

teammates when Adenike suffered an 

injury which caused her to miss some 

competitions in the middle of the 

season. However, it was her temporary 

absence and her encouragement from 

the sidelines that facilitated her team’s 

belief in their own athletic ability 

and each other. Coach Omar told 

her, “If you can get your teammates 

to work harder, then we’ll have no 

problem winning the championship.” 

As Adenike healed, she became eager 

to return to running, especially with 

the WCAC Championship quickly 

approaching. After evaluating her 

healing progress, the coaching staff, 

along with Adenike and her parents, 

decided that she could participate in 

the long jump. Adenike put 110% 

into making sure she obtained the 

maximum points to help her team 

win. Her triumphant performance in 

the long jump secured the trophy’s 

return to Elizabeth Seton. 

Adenike’s strive for excellence is 

intense. Furthermore, her heart 

and compassion make her a true 

champion. “Whatever you ask her to 

do…she will do it, and will give you 

all that she has,” says Coach Omar. 

Adenike Pedro will be remembered 

for her motivation and compassion to 

her teammates, coaches, and teachers. 


Ambrosia’s dedication to her team and 

the coaching staff is inspirational. Her 

press release from Elizabeth Seton 

credits her as a four year track team 

member who “specializes in the 400m 

dash and a member of the 4x200 

relay team, which is recognized by 

The Washington Post as one of the 

top relay teams.” Her outstanding 

performance on the track, coupled 

with her tough character and her 

“you practice like you play” attitude 

has earned her state recognition, and 

established her as a driving force 

behind the team’s success. Leading by 

example, she motivates her team to do 

their best in competitions and during 

practices. When the team’s energy 

level is low, Coach Omar can count on 

Ambrosia to provide encouragement. 

“She puts the challenge on them 

saying, the only way we are going to 

get better is to step it up.” As a powerhouse 

athlete and strong motivator, 

she has been a valuable part of 

the team. 

The track team credits all of their 

seniors as great leaders, not only to 

the team, but also to their coaches. 

Coach Omar and his staff are grateful 

for their time, their effort, and for the 

energy that they put into the program. 

The seniors have done a great job with 

building the team bond and shaping 

the remaining squad into future 

leaders who will carry on the winning 

tradition. Their hard work was evident 

in the way the underclassmen stepped 

up in the WCAC Championship. “I 

saw a lot of hungry people out there, 

and it brought a tear to my eye to 

see their desire to win,” concludes 

Coach Omar. 


1 6

Bringing Home the Gold 

“I guard Alyssa Albanese who 

think I’m going to throwup!”, 

thought Junior point 

was overwhelmed to see the massive 

crowd gathered in the Verizon Center 

anxiously waiting to watch her team 

battle it out with H.D. Woodson for the 

City Title Championship. After five long 

years, it was Seton’s time to shine, and 

take back the City Title trophy that once 

was a fixture in the school’s trophy case. 

Coach Candy Cage, Class of ’81, whose 

dual role as Seton’s Athletic Director and 

part of Seton’s basketball coaching staff 

comforted Alyssa, “Go do what you have 

to do, and let’s go win this City Title!” 

Elizabeth Seton’s victory over H.D. 

Woodson was a triumphant moment. 

“Woodson traditionally would walk all 

over their opponent and win games by 

50 or 60 points,” says Coach Candy. 

Going home with a City Title trophy 

was a great way for the 2010 varsity 

squad to end their season. Coming off 

of a winning record of 26-8, Coach 

Candy said, “This victory gives the 

team bragging rights and has definitely 

generated some talk.” The crowd was 

4,000 people deep, many of whom were 

alumnae, family, friends, and outsiders 

wanting to see the “clash of the 

two titans”. 

The days leading up to the City Title 

game offered the team very little time 

for rest. Woodson had two weeks to 

prepare, whereas Seton was jammed 

pack with regular season games, 

on top of invitationals, and outside 

tournaments. Like other schools in 

the area, the blizzards from this past 

winter forced the WCAC to postpone 

many games until the end of the season. 

“We had completed quarterfinals 

and semifinals, had won the WCAC 

Championship, had taken the road to 

Cumberland where we played three 

more games, and had come right back 

that Sunday morning for the City Title 

game.” 

Coach Candy along with head coach 

Jasmina “Jazz” Perazic had just enough 

time to walk the girls through some 

practice drills and talk through a few 

strategic plays for the big game. They 

focused their attention on playing smart, 

on strong offense, and on shutting down 

Woodson’s key player. “We didn’t think 

they had a lot else around them, so we 

just talked about not worrying so much 

about their key player. We can still 

win!”, said Cage. The vibe in the air was 

true excitement and nerves. The girls 

were running on pure adrenaline. There 

was no turning back at that point, and 

so the game began. It was a one point 

game in the first half, and then Seton got 

their second wind and took off. They 

conquered H.D. Woodson 51-30. 

Winning the City Title has restored 

confidence and brought back pride 

to Seton basketball. In the late 90’s to 

the early 2000’s, the varsity basketball 

squad was considered a powerhouse 

in the WCAC; however, around 2005 

the program took a nose dive. Candy 

Cage set out to fix that by completely 

reconstructing the program, hiring 

new coaches and effectively recruiting 

players. Coach Candy dreamed of 

bringing back the good days when Seton 

ruled the WCAC, and when she received 

tremendous support from the faculty and 

staff. “It starts from the top: you have to 

have the support of your president, and 

the administration because you have to be 

able to go to them and say, ‘Hey, I need this 

in order to make a great program’. They 

are very supportive of Seton Athletics,” 

attests Cage. 

Candy then hired two-time Olympian 

and former WNBA player, Jazz Perazic, 

and together they began to beat the 

pavement in search of prospective 8th 

graders. They discovered Julia Weatherly, 

Tyaunna Marshall, Alexis Martin, and 

Janelle Murphy, who transferred to Seton 

from Eleanor Roosevelt. Cage convinced 

them because of her vision to rebuild 

Seton’s Basketball Empire. “I sat them in 

the library and told them, ‘you have to 

trust me;’ it’s a great package. We have an 

unbelievable school. We’ll prepare you 

for college. Take a chance!” said Cage. 

On March 14th, these four ladies, who 

are now seniors, brought home the City 

Title trophy. They bought into Coach 

Candy’s and Jazz’s promises to rebuild 

the basketball program, and to prepare 

them for college. Each lady received a 

basketball scholarship to the school of 

her choice. 

Coach Candy thanks her coaching staff 

and the players for a stellar season. Over 

the past five years, she has worked hard 

to bring quality basketball back to Seton, 

and she could not have done it without 

the support of Seton’s administration 

and the players’ hard work. With the 

City Title trophy on Seton grounds, and 

another set of girls ready to fill in where 

the seniors left off, Seton’s basketball 

team is reclaiming their role as WCAC’s 

toughest competition.. 

1 7

M A R K E T I N G 

It has been an exhilarating year 

here at Seton, and the marketing 

department has had no shortage of 

news to share with the community. 

Last year our brand new state of the 

art website was launched: helping 

to more effectively communicate 

with all of our community members 

from current students and families 

to prospective roadrunners as well 

as alumnae and our own faculty and 

staff. This year we have continued to 

grow and expand by incorporating 

our new social media campaign into 

Seton’s website. With almost 1,000 

fans on The Official Elizabeth Seton 

Facebook Page, hundreds of visitors 

to our YouTube Channel, and dozens 

of followers on our newest endeavor, 

Twitter, there is no doubt that our 

girls’ accomplishments are being 

celebrated by our entire community. 

Every day Seton’s fans and supporters 

receive updates about all the student 

achievements, scholarship awards, and 

exciting sports scores as well as watch 

video clips of our fine arts concerts 

and hear about inspiring community 

service stories. It has been an amazingly 

successful year for our students, staff, 

faculty and our administration, and it 

has been truly exciting to share this 

news with everyone who is connected 

to Seton’s legacy. 

The marketing department’s 

publication, Seton Express, has 

received astounding support and 

contributions from all of its 3,000 

subscribers! The publication highlights 

Seton news on a monthly basis. 

Readers enjoy learning about what 

our students, teachers and coaches 

have been up to, and what they have 

in the works. If you have not already 

subscribed, please do so today; it’s the 

best way to keep up to date with all of 

our success stories. 

Other goals achieved this year include 

redesigning Seton’s official school seal 

and roadrunner mascot, and using 

these new logos to visually brand 

Seton’s name and face in all of our print 

and electronic advertising efforts. We 

are also preparing to redesign Seton’s 

admissions materials for the upcoming 

class of 2014. Furthermore, we are 

also in constant contact with the press 

to make sure that the local news media 

is spreading the word about all that 

Seton is and continues to be every day. 

The marketing department would 

like to thank everyone who has 

helped contribute to the success of 

our students and our community this 

school year. Your accomplishments 

and efforts are what make our job so 

exciting and inspiring every single 

day. The pulse of Seton has never been 

stronger, and we are confident that 

the next school year will bring with 

it more remarkable accomplishments 

from the incoming class of 2014. 

A D M I S S I O N S 

When talking about admissions, more 

than anything, people always want 

to know about “the numbers.” Seton 

has been fortunate to enjoy incredible 

growth and healthy enrollment numbers 

during a time when the economy has 

declined and other schools have been 

forced to close their doors. In just the 

past eight years, Seton’s population 

has grown by 25%, with an increase 

of 15% in the last four years alone. 

Seton currently enrolls 648 talented, 

intelligent, and compassionate young 

women who attend classes in both the 

school’s main building and the recently 

added Brooks Center. Despite the 

burgeoning population, Seton maintains 

its close-knit, community feeling. Class 

sizes are actually lower than they 

were eight years ago, so that every 

student receives the same personal 

attention and encouragement, Seton’s 

constant hallmarks. 

The newly accepted and enrolled 

incoming freshmen will become Seton’s 

51st graduating class, and this group 

of future alumnae shows remarkable 

potential already. Numbering at 160, 

their accomplishments in the classroom, 

on the athletic fields and courts, with their 

musical groups, and in the community 

at large are numerous and impressive. 

Furthermore, these new students will be 

continuing a family tradition of attending 

Seton—20 of them have older sisters 

who are alumnae and 11 have mothers 

and grandmothers who graduated; 

that speaks volumes of Seton’s legacy 

of excellence. As Seton embarks on its 

second half century, the promise evident 

in the class of 2014 inspires confidence in 

the future of the school. 

The Admissions Office shares in this 

hopeful feeling. After eleven years of 

working with incoming students and 

seven years as Director of Admissions, 

Dawn Schiavone ’92 is leaving her post 

in the very capable hands of a fellow 

alumna, Melissa Davey ’99, who has 

been teaching at Seton for the past 

three years. Part-time Admissions Officer, 

Diane Zellers ’04, will become full-time 

in the fall and will be assisting Melissa as 

she assumes her new duties as Director 

of Admissions. Excited about working 

with prospective students and families, 

Melissa looks forward to putting her 

own stamp on the admissions’ process, 

including the shadowing program, Open 

House, and the application procedures. 

Being a graduate, she knows first-hand 

about the value of a Seton education, so 

she should have no difficulty in spreading 

the word about the school to the young 

women who will comprise Elizabeth 

Seton’s graduating class of 2015. 

1 8

A D VA N C E M E N T 

There are many exciting changes 

happening around Seton’s campus: a 

new President this year, the year of 

the Alumnae, a graduating class that 

is truly remarkable is so many ways… 

but really understands the meaning 

of philanthropy and giving back to 

their school. They established a fund 

for a student in need in order to help 

them with books for the school year. 

In regard to Advancement, there 

are many changes on the horizon. 

Our name for one; it is now Seton 

Advancement. Our office location has 

changed; we are now located where 

the business office use to be. Please 

stop by and visit us! We also have 

new staff: Kelli Horton, Executive 

Director, whose daughter, Mackenzi, 

will be a sophomore; Maureen 

McCart, Executive Manager, who has 

been with Seton for seven years and 

Erica Corbin, Associate Director, and 

a Class of 2000 graduate. 

As some of you may know, we 

changed our April Auction to a 

Gala in which we had a tremendous 

turnout: with over 500 attendees. 

We netted $30,000. We were thrilled 

to see many of our ‘old’ friends 

whom we had not seen in a long 

time. Next year, we hope to have the 

same success! 

Our Annual Fund, which is typically 

mailed in October, is going to be 

moved to the spring and will be 

called the Seton Fund. It will be 

setup as a pledge program. Pledging 

is an easy way to give. It will be 

set up with 10 payments. After an 

initial payment, there will be nine 

additional payments. 

On November 13 we are having a 

Spiritual, Stewardship, & Sisterhood 

R e t r e a t … 

please Save 

the Date. 

More details 

to follow in 

the upcoming 

m o n t h s . We 

h o p e t o s e e 

you there. 

In May, many of you received a 

brochure, More than Mere Money. 

To date we have only raised $1,735. 

This appeal is to help with tuition 

assistance. If you have not given 

to it yet, please consider a gift… 

many of our young women need 

your assistance. 

Lastly, as you can see the news 

letter is no longer a newsletter. It is 

a magazine that will be published 

twice a year. It will include exciting 

success stories of alumnae, up-todate 

and exciting news about our 

current students, and plenty of news 

about our entire community. 

We would love to hear from YOU, our 

alumnae! We want to hear about any 

and all successes you have enjoyed 

in your professional and personal 

life! We’re looking for news about 

new marriages, new babies, new 

promotions, new business ventures, 

and new careers! Please let us know 

what you have been up to so that we 

can share your new good news with 

our community. 

In the fall, on our web-site, we will 

be selling alumnae apparel. Be on the 

look-out for it! 

We want to thank you for your 

continuous support, and we hope to 

see you at our events! 

Dear Friends, 

Sankofa is a West African proverb and 

symbol that roughly translates in English to 

“go back and take.” The most common 

symbol of Sankofa is that of a bird with its 

head turned backward taking an egg off 

its back. It symbolizes one taking from the 

past what is good, and bringing it into the 

present to make positive progress through 

the compassionate use of knowledge. 

It is my honor to write to you as the new 

Executive Director of Seton Advancement at 

Elizabeth Seton High School. I am humbled 

by the immeasurable good carried out by so 

many: parents, alumnae, faculty members, 

students and the community as a whole. 

To borrow an image from the West African 

proverb, our 50-year history and the legacy 

of St. Elizabeth Ann Seton, and the Daughters 

of Charity is no small egg. 

I am thrilled about my new position and the 

changes that will take place within Seton 

Advancement, S Magazine being one of 

them. And please know your continuous 

support is vital for the survival of ESHS. We 

truly cannot do it without you! 

That being said, it is with enthusiasm and a 

large dose of humility, that I join with all of 

you in raising funds to help sustain Seton into 

the future and our next 50 years! 

Sincerely yours, 

Kelli A. Horton 

Executive Director 

Seton Advancement 

1 9

2 0 

L U M N A E

C L A S S N O T E S 

Let’s continue to celebrate the “Year of 

the Alumnae”! Sister Ellen Marie, Seton’s 

new president, has given this title to 2010 

to welcome the return of the alumnae 

to Seton. Sister invites all our graduates 

to walk down the “butterfly staircase”, 

to tour the new Brooks Center (new 

athletic and fine arts building) and 

to reconnect with the sisterly spirit of 

Seton. For 50 years, Elizabeth Seton 

High School has nurtured her ladies into 

confident, independent, and bright 

young women. She has provided a 

foundation for building hopes and 

dreams, and best of all, she has given 

her ladies a strong sisterhood that is 

bonded together by the Light to Know 

and the Grace to Do. 

The “Year of the Alumnae” will focus on 

reconnecting the alumnae with Seton 

and each other. Life has definitely 

changed since earlier days here, 

(and boy weren’t those good days!). 

We want to hear all about life after 

graduation. This is your place to share 

your news with your sisters, find long lost 

friends, and network with each other. 

Welcome home Seton Sisters!!! 

Please send updates and suggestions 

to ecorbin@setonhs.org 

1 9 6 0 ’ s 

Marty Vitale ‘65 

Having studied in college and having 

enjoyed a career that includes working 

for the federal government, the 

University of Maryland, and the Senate, 

Marty Vitale ‘65 is now working for 

AASHTO’s engineering program. Her 

son, Harry, works for the University of 

Maryland Computer Science Center, and 

her daughter, Jean, is a world traveler. 

Marty, also, has traveled extensively to 

South America, East Africa, and most 

recently to East Malaysia and Brunei 

in Borneo. She is very proud of her 

children and quite happy with her 

job. Her recipe for happiness is to live 

simply, to work hard, and to pray hard. 

email: marvitabella@yahoo.com 

Class of 1963 

On Sunday, April 11, thirteen members 

of Seton’s first graduating class gathered 

at the Marco Polo Restaurant in Vienna, 

Virginia, for their annual get-together. 

Members of this lively bevy of “Real 

Seniors” have been meeting since 2003. 

Their yearly luncheon is usually attended 

by a core group of 15 or 20. This year, 

the ladies were delighted to welcome 

Dorothy McBride, an alumna whom 

many had not seen for a half century! 

Also, welcomed was Rita Lappin, a 

member of the graduating class of 1964. 

Reminiscences bubbled forth—of 

classes; youthful pranks, teachers, 

boyfriends; “The Mighty Mo;” husbands 

(past and present), careers, children; and 

grandchildren. For 4 ½ hours, the room 

rang with laughter, equaling the decibels 

generated in the Seton cafeteria 50 years 

ago. Though all the ladies will be eligible 

for Medicare this year, for an afternoon, 

they were all 18 again. 

Shown in the photograph: 

Front row (left to right): Mary Ellen 

Henry; Agnes Brown; Margo Boylan 

Rear: Ev Serra; Sue Guay; Theresa Francis; 

Carol Lucas; Mary Ann McKeogh; Kathryn 

Edwards; Rose Hiza; Mary Wanner; 

Marylyn Pahl; Rita Lappin (Class of 1964); 

Dottie McBride. 

1 9 7 0 ’ s 

Leslie (Hooper) 

Maydwell ‘70 

After graduating from Seton High School 

in 1970, I attended Frostburg State 

College (University now) and graduated 

with a BA in mathematics and Spanish 

and a minor in secondary education. 

I married my husband, Stephen, in 1977, 

and spent the next 12 years moving from 

place to place, as he was career Army. We 

settled in San Antonio in 1989, and I have 

been teaching mathematics at the middle 

school and high school since 1990. I am 

one course away from completing my 

masters degree at Concordia University in 

education. 

Stephen and I have 3 children who are 

now grown and 2 grandsons. 

Email: leslie.maydwell@yahoo.com 

2 1

A L U M N A E U P D A T E S (continued) 

Cathy Heckel ‘71 

Being confined to a wheelchair for the 

past 11 years hasn’t slowed me too much, 

I still enjoy getting out into nature and 

traveling whenever I get the opportunity. 

I joined our family cruise through the 

Inside Passage to Alaska; then took a two 

week Mediterranean Cruise in September 

cruising from Rome, the Italian Riveria, 

the French Riveria to Barcelona Spain. 

Onward, I went to Playa de Mallorca, 

Sardinia, Athens, Cornith in the Greek 

Isles, Epheses, and Turkey. Four days in 

Rome made the trip complete. 

My partner and I also enjoy retirement 

travel to the DC area 3-4 times per year 

to visit our new grandson, Ryder. Being 

a grandma is so much more fun than 

being a mom! Also, I love to go RV’ing 

especially to Glacier and Yellowstone 

National Parks. 

Mary (Isaac) Sotzsky ‘72 

I am the proud mother of five grown 

children and grandmother of six. We 

are awaiting the arrival of our seventh 

grandchild, due on June 6. My husband 

retired in 2006, and we built a home on 

his family farm here in Minnesota. 

1 9 8 0 ’ s 

Mary Rollman Boyd ’82 

Mary just started her own consultation 

business called Outsource Accounting 

Services. She has over 25 years of 

accounting experience in almost every 

facet of accounting and consulting, 

specializing in accounting for A&E 

firms. She has a B.S. in Accounting from 

the University of Maryland University 

College. Her company sells Clearview 

InFocus software, and handles the 

conversion, implementation, training, and 

support of Clearview InFocus or Deltek 

Vision Accounting Software. If you are 

interested in learning more about Mary’s 

new endeavor, please visit her website at 

www.outsourcedaccountingservicesllc.com 

or email her at mboyd0711@gmail.com. 

Katie (Gorman) Jones ’84 

Kate and her family relocated to 

Baumholder, Germany in Jan. 2009. Her 

husband, Mike, returned safely from Iraq 

in May 2009. Summer’s travel included 

sight-seeing and a lot of castles! In 

2009, Katie ran a 5K, a 10K, the Army 

Europe 10-Miler, and a half-marathon. 

Also, Katie performed (flute/piccolo) 

with the U.S. Air Force – Europe Band in 

Germany and Belgium. 

Katie enjoys home schooling her three 

children Willy (10), Carmen (7), and 

Sam (5). The older two children play the 

cornet in a German youth band. 

Katie has coached soccer, two baseball 

teams, and helped with a basketball 

team. In May 2010, she was selected 

as Volunteer of the Year for the Child, 

Youth, & School Services – Sports & 

Fitness department. She is the lector 

coordinator for St. Michael’s Parish, a 

member of MCCW (Military Council of 

Catholic Women), the director for the 

preschool Vacation Bible School, and a 

Webelos leader. 

1 9 9 0 ’ s 

Melanie (McColl) Batie ‘95 

Hello, I just wanted to inform you all that 

I received my Master of Education degree 

in School/Family counseling from Bowie 

State University. I will be attending either 

VA tech or Argosy University for my 

doctorate in Counselor Education and 

Supervision. 

Email: melmb1977@yahoo.com 

2 0 0 0 ’ s 

Miriam Abigail Bruno- 

Gaston ‘06 

She recently graduated from Mount 

St. Mary’s University with a Bachelor 

of Art’s degree in International Studies 

and Spanish. 

I n M E M O R Y 

Bob Geida, husband of Lynn 

Sanalitro Geida ‘69 

Marion Szymanowski, mother of Kathy 

Symanowski Nubaum ‘69 

Sister Mary Jane taught at Elizabeth 

Seton in the 60’s 

Chris Carey, son of Linda Glumac 

Carey ‘74 

Sylvia Albanesi, mother of Mary 

Albanesi-Wood ’77 

Ann Aluise, mother of Patti Aluise ’70 

Joan Johnson, mother of 

Patty Johnson Perez ‘83 

Patricia “Tish” Ates, mother of Robin 

Ates Kirkley’81, Dana Ates McAnney 

’84 and Laura Ates Paulter’00 

Melitha Holbert, mother of Millicent 

Holbert ’91 

Laurie Ratay, Band and Choir Director 

from 1989 to 1990. She is survived by 

her sons, ages 19 and 14 

Bobby Baker, father of Jean and Diana 

Baker 

Linda Munoz Seiler ‘87 

2 2

SETON ALUMNAE KNOW HOW To PARTY! 

On March 13th, 2010, Setonites from all 

generations came to enjoy a night of 

food, fun, and dancing! They caught 

up with familiar faces and boogied the 

night away. Special thanks to James 

Geiser from Game Time Photography 

who captured a bit of the action. 

Please visit our Seton Alumnae section 

on the web-site if you are interested in 

seeing more of the excitement from our 

fantastic evening. You can view and 

purchase photos by simply clicking on 

the Events and Reunion segment under 

Seton Alumnae, or email James Geiser 

at geiser7777@comcast.net. 

Seton Alumnae 

come back for 

the 1st Annual 

Alumnae Dance! 

Mary Haddow 

can’t believe 

what she sees. 

Jo Ellen Gray & 

friends share 

Seton’s 

sisterhooD. 

Sr. Ellen Marie 

welcomes back 

alumna from 

every class. 

Who said, 

“We’re getting 

old?” 

A good time 

was had 

by all. 

2 3

Elizabeth Seton High School 

5715 Emerson Street 

Bladensburg, MD 20710 

NON-PROFIT ORG. 

U.S. POSTAGE 

PAID 

ALLIED PRINTING 

L i g h t T o K n o w , G r a c e T o D o !

apublicationofelizabe - Elizabeth Seton High School

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