Congratulations to the Lourdes Track Team, for a terrific performance at the State Meet this weekend. The 4 x 800 Relay Team placed 6th, with a time of 9:31. The relay team consists of Courtney Filliben, Corina Velasco, Lourdes Brea and Emily Castella. In addition, Natalie Jacobs broke the school record in the 300m hurdles with a time of 46.49, placing 12th. (The previous school record was held by Patty Bolanos with a time of 46.83.) Courtney Filliben placed 4th in the mile, with a time of 5:09 and came back to place 5th in the 800 with a time of 2:17. Ximena Garcia represented the team for the pole vault. Congratulations to these athletes on a job well done. We are proud of the team and coaching staff, on a successful season.
Congratulations to the following students who placed among the Top 10 in Florida or the Nation in the National French Exam. In French I, Alexa Tirse placed 7th in the state of Florida. Vivian Gisle placed 8th in the state of Florida. Stephanie Aldama, Andrea Fundora and Melissa Urbieta tied for 10th place in the state of Florida. In French II, Michelle Zogby placed 5th in the state of Florida and 5th in the nation. In French III, Michelle Bueno placed 3rd in the state of Florida and 4th in the nation. Natalia Dondo placed 7th in the state of Florida and 8th in the nation. Carolina Nunez placed 7th in the state of Florida and 8th in the nation. Gabriela Hidalgo placed 9th in the state of Florida and 10th in the nation. In French IV, Olga Kusche-Iglesias placed 5th in the state of Florida and 10th in the nation. Maria Gallina placed 9th in the state of Florida. Congratulations to these students, as well as their teachers Mrs. Bernice James and Mrs. Bertha Arias, on a job well done.
Congratulations to the Our Lady of Lourdes Constitution Team, under the direction of Mrs. Rosalie Heffernan, who represented the state of Florida in the national We the People Constitution Competition, in Washington, D.C. and placed 7th overall.
Congratulations to Patricia Perez, the salutatorian of the Class of 2012, who has been selected as one of 1,000 Gates Millennium Scholars, from over 24,000 applicants - the program's largest and most competitive applicant pool ever. Patricia was commended on her strong leadership, community service and academic achievements. As a Gates Millennium Scholar, Patricia is guaranteed full tuition at any U.S. located, accredited college or university for her undergraduate career. Patricia will also be eligible for GMS fellowship funding, should she choose to purse graduate studies in the fields of Computer Science, Education, Engineering, Library Science, Mathematics, Public Health or Science.
Congratulations to Fabiola de Armas, who was chosen as a 2012 Bank of America Student Leader in Miami. She is one of 225 Student Leaders nationwide, who will take part in the 8-Week Internship Program. As part of this program, Fabiola will be working with the Boys and Girls Club of Miami-Dade this summer.
Congratulations to the members of the Our Lady of Lourdes Academy Track Team, who will advance to the State Meet, on May 5, in their individual events. These students are: Courtney Filliben (4 x 800m Relay, 1600m and 800m), Corina Velasco (4 x 800m Relay), Emily Castella (4 x 800m Relay), Lourdes Brea (4 x 800m Relay), Natalie Jacobs (300m Hurdles), and Ximena Garcia (Pole Vault). We wish these student athletes the best of luck, and congratulate the entire Track Team and coaching staff on a successful season.
Congratulations to Fine Arts Department Chairperson Ms. Yudit Perez, whose work was exhibited at the National Art/Media Teacher Appreciation Show, at the Miami International University of Art and Design, on April 19. To see her featured piece, click HERE.
Congratulations to Andrea Fernandez, Rebecca Fernandez and Victoria Gilbert, who have been selected to be recipients of the Independent Schools of South Florida (ISSF) "Star Award." This award honors exemplary students who set an example for others to follow. The students were honored at a luncheon at the Doubletree Hotel on April 18. To see a picture of the recipients, click HERE.
Forty-one students from Our Lady of Lourdes Academy earned First Honors for their performance throughout the third academic quarter. The distinction of First Honors is given to students who earn all "A's" and "A+'s" or maintain a quarter GPA of 4.67 or higher, with no grade lower than a "B+".
These students are: Stephanie Maria Aldama, Alyssa Amber Cruz, Erica Monique Del Rey, Andrea Michelle Jimenez, Elizabeth Christine Lleonart, Adrianna Amanda Lopez del Rincon, Paola Maria Pesant, Lourdes Teresa Brea, Nicole Christine Fernandez-Valle, Ana Cristina Gonzales, Sophia Marie Guzzo, Leila Marie Hatem, Diana Cristina Lopez, Sarah Marie Marini, Kathryn Victoria Mellinger, Natalia Lucia Quintero-Riestra, Elizabeth Ann Robelo, Hannah Margaret Roza, Amanda Isabel Sanabria, Victoria Ann Vega, Michelle Cristina Zogby, Kiara Marie Taquechel, Caitlin Nicole Opperman, Gabriella Marie Perez, Kelsey Anne Quigley,
Tracey Lorelle Fung, Sophia Marie Gonzalez, Loretta Angeli Castillo, Stephanie Marie Tillit, Claudia Vanessa Trilles, Veronica Vega, Ashley Marie Mila, Natalie Marie Molina, Nathalie Maria De Almagro, Nicole del Castillo, Katerina Elizabeth Ferradas, Emily Marie Ferradaz, Gabriela Maria Figueras, Maria Teresa Gallina, Alyssa Victoria Gonzales, and Olga Kusche-Iglesias. READ MORE.
Congratulations to Bailey Plummer and Cristina Rodriguez-Garcia, who were named All-Dade in Girls' Soccer for Divisions 5A-4A, by The Miami Herald. Tiffany Suarez and Kiara Palmer were named All-Dade in Basketball for Divisions 8A-5A. We are proud of these athletes' accomplishments and congratulate the teams on successful seasons.
Congratulations to Juniors Chantal Garcia and Kelsey Quigley, as well as freshman Andrea Jimenez, who won First Place and Judges' Special Awards, in the Spanish Creative Writing category, in the 2012 Miami-Dade County Fair and Exposition.
Congratulations to Stephanie Tillit, the valedictorian of the Class of 2012, and Patricia Perez, the salutatorian. They will be recognized at this year's Commencement Exercises on May 24.
Congratulations to Maria Carolina Mendoza, who was selected as Our Lady of Lourdes Academy's representative to receive the 5th Annual I Make a Difference Award, presented by Northwesten Mutual. This award honors a select group of students, who are philanthropists and community activists, who exhibit kindness and leadership at a young age.
The 24th Annual Golf Tournament to benefit Our Lady of Lourdes Academy took place March 9, at The Biltmore Golf Course. To see the list of winners, sponsors and other tournament information, click HERE.
Congratulations to members of the Thespian Troupe, under the direction of their adviser Ms. Minette Perez, who did exceptionally well in the state competition, earning either an Excellent or Superior Rating in their category. Kristen Opperman received a rating of Excellent for a Student Directed Scene. Marilyn Caserta and Gaby Corzo received a rating of Superior for their duet musical. Marilyn Caserta received a rating of Superior for her monologue. Gaby Corzo received a rating of Superior for her solo musical. Natalie Molina received a rating of Superior for her Solo Musical.
Congratulations to the Science Department and our students for another successful year in the ExploraVision Competition. The school had 14 Honorable Mentions, which means that these 14 teams' projects are in the top 10% of the more than 5,000 projects that were entered in the competition this year. To see the list of recognized students, click HERE.
On Feb. 23-24, the Lourdes Academy Mock Trial Competition Team participated in the 2011-2012 Miami-Dade County Mock Trial Competition, Preliminary Rounds. Fifteen schools participated in the two-day event, consisting of four trials. Lourdes Academy was randomly chosen to compete against Gulliver Preparatory, American Senior High School, Hialeah High School, and William Turner Tech High School. This year's case was a criminal case charging the defendant with aggravated battery and cyberbullying, State of Florida v. Jesse Woodson. The students trained to argue both the prosecution and defense. At the end of the preliminary rounds, Lourdes Academy won all four trials, two representing the State of Florida and two the defendant. On March 2, the top four schools competed in the final round of competition, held at the Dade County Courthouse. The schools that advanced were Dr. Michael Krop Senior High School, Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Senior High School, Miami Killian Senior High School, and Our Lady of Lourdes Academy. Randomly chosen, the semi-final round found the school competing against Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Senior High School, a round the school won by a significant amount. In the final round, the school competed against Dr. Michael Krop Senior High School, a round won by 11 points. Because of these accomplishments, Our Lady of Lourdes Academy will represent the 11th Judicial Circuit at the 2012 Florida High School Mock Trial State Finals, to be held March 8-10, 2012 in Orlando. We congratulate the students, as well as their adviser, Social Studies Teacher Mrs. Gloria Vital-Valdes.
Congratulations to the Lourdes Dancers, who attended the American Dance Alliance Competition today. Alexa Perez received Third Place overall, in junior solos. The JV Team got First Place in the "open" dance category and First Place in the lyrical/ballet category. The Varsity Team won Fourth Place in the "open" category; these girls also earned an Excellence rating in the contemporary category. Both the Varsity and JV Teams received Second Place overall, in the hip hop category. The Varsity Team won First Place and the highest score in the lyrical category, and they also won First Place in the prop category. Congratulations to our girls and their coach, Ms. Katerina San Juan.
Congratulations to the Constitution Team, under the direction of Mrs. Rosalie Heffernan, who won the state competition today. They will represent the state of Florida in the national "We the People" Competition on April 27.
Congratulations to senior Victoria Gilbert, who has been selected as a recipient of the 2012-2013 Comcast Leaders and Achievers Scholarship. This award, funded through The Comcast Foundation, recognizes high school seniors from Comcast communities for commitment to community service, academic achievement, and demonstrated leadership. To acknowledge her accomplishment, Victoria will receive a one-time grant of $1,000.
Congratulations to Epiphany Catholic School, who won the Bobcat Bowl, hosted by Our Lady of Lourdes Academy, on Jan. 7, 2012. Bobcat Bowl is an academic competition for the 7th grade girls of our feeder schools; each school is invited to participate -- selecting four students to represent the school. Members of the winning team are: Gabriela Lee, Mariana Suarez, Allison Pujol and Amanda Rodriguez. This year's competition included 11 feeder schools: Blessed Trinity, Epiphany Catholic School, Good Shepherd Catholic School, Our Lady of Lourdes Parish School, St. Agnes Academy, St. Brendan Elementary, St. Kevin Catholic School, St. Louis Covenant, St. Theresa Catholic School, St. Thomas the Apostle, and St. Timothy Parish School. We look forward to next year's competition.
Congratulations to the Lourdes Academy Constitution Team, along with their teacher, Mrs. Rosalie Heffernan, who won the District's We the People Senior High School Competition. In fact, our team earned the highest score, overall, in the District Competition. The team will now advance to the state competition, representing District 18.
Sophomores Gabriela Ballesteros, Christina Gutierrez, Diana Lopez and Lauren Lopez, under the supervision of Science department Chairperson Ms. Susan Fleming, were named Regional Winners in last year's ExploraVision competition, sponsored by Toshiba, for their project, "Chrisdilabyotomy." These students were recognized on Primer Impacto, a national television news magazine, on Nov. 25. To see the clip, visit: http://noticias.univision.com/primer-impacto/videos/video/2011-11-25/jov...
Congratulations to the OLLA Thespian Troupe 6273 for their performance at the District Competition, which took place Nov. 11-12. Not only did the students receive high ratings, but also won the equivalent of First Place in several competition events. The following students received an Excellent Rating for their work: Laura Hoelscher and Stephanie Tillit - Duet Musical, and Nicole Fernandez-Valle and Victoria Vega - Duet Musical. The following students received a Superior Rating for their work: Gabriela Corzo - Solo Musical, Natalie Molina - Solo Musical, Marilyn Caserta - Monologue, Gabriela Corzo and Marilyn Caserta - Duet Musical, Kelsey Quigley and Clarisse Vamos - Playwrighting, and Kristen Opperman - Student Directing. In addition, the following students were awarded a Critic's Choice, the equivalent of a First Place Award in their event: Gabriela Corzo - Solo Musical, Marilyn Caserta - Monologue, Gabriela Corzo and Marilyn Caserta - Duet Musical, and Kristen Opperman - Student Directing. (In addition to the Critic's Choice, Kristen will have the opportunity to assistant-direct a student-written play at New Theatre - an Equity house here in South Florida known for producing new works. Congratulations to the students and their moderator, Ms. Minette Perez.
Congratulations to the 42 students who earned First Honors for their performance during the first quarter. This special recognition is given to students who have earned all "A's" and "A+'s" or maintained a quarter G.P.A. of 4.67 or higher, with no grade lower than a "B+." To see the list of students, please click HERE.
Congratulations to the Volleyball Team who won the district championship and defeated Coral Reef in the Regional quarterfinals.
The OLLA Thespian Troupe 6273 received a rating of “Excellent” at this past weekend’s District One Act competition. Of 24 schools, only 4 “Superiors” and 8 “Excellents” were awarded. District 8 is a very large and competitive district and this is quite an accomplishment for our girls! We are very proud of these young women and everything they have accomplished. These young women are: From 9th Grade, Nicole Diaz, Jessie Ramos, Rebecca Dominguez, and Francesca Zepeda. From 11th Grade, Kelsey Quigley, Emily Bezold, Gabriela Corzo, Carolina Cardenas, and Veronica Sanchez. From 12th Grade, Kristen Opperman, Melanie Forshee, Carmina Dovel and Nicole del Castillo. Junior Gabriela Corzo was also the recipient of the "All-Star Cast" Award. Congratulations to the girls and their moderator, Ms. Minette Perez.
The school hosted an event for Locks of Love, organized by one of our students, Brianna Perez, on Oct. 19. In total, 72 ponytails were collected for this very special cause. Special thanks to everyone who participated, including the 68 students and two teachers who donated their beautiful "locks."
Congratulations to our Hispanic Heritage Month Contest Winners! In the Painting (Canvas) category, Nicole Garcia won first place, and Michelle Bueno won second place. In the Painting (Posters) category, Franchesca Cabal-Ugaz won first place, and Mariela Salazar and Alyssa Cruz, won second and third place, respectively. In the 3D Projects category, Catherine Buckler won first place, and Carolina de Almagro and Lynell Martinez, won second and third place, respectively. (Megan Valent received an Honorable Mention in this category.) Finally, in the Poetry category, Kelsey Quigley won first place, and Lauren Lopez and Gabriela Corzo won second and third place, respectively. We are proud of these students and all who participated in these contests, sponsored by our World Languages Department.
Congratulations to junior Michelle Bueno, who won first place in the Cervantes Essay Contest. Michelle will be recognized on Oct. 20, at the Cervantes Awards Ceremony hosted by Nova Southeastern University.
Congratulations to Mrs. Mirza Collazo, Mathematics Department Chairperson, who will receive the Outstanding Educator Award on Oct. 20, at the Cervantes Awards Ceremony hosted by Nova Southeastern University.
Congratulations to the Lourdes Dancers, under the direction of Ms. Katerina San Juan, who competed in the Hall of Fame Convention, Oct. 9. Sophie Carballo was named an MVP Finalist. Carolina Arvesu and Veronica Restrepo received the Hall of Fame Lyrical Scholarship, and Kailyn Valido received the Hall of Fame Jazz Scholarship.
Congratulations to 19 graduates of the Class of 2011, who were named AP Scholars with Distinction for their performance on last year's AP Exams. This distinction is granted to students who receive an average score of at least 3.5 on all AP Exams taken, and scores of 3 or higher on five or more of these exams. These graduates are: Celynne Alvarez, Cristina R. Ballesteros, Tara M. Catanach, Anabelle M. Dahdah, Annette Ferrer, Adriana S. Gomez, Mary A. Hernando, Katherine M. Herold, Claudia I. Leon, Vanessa Michaud, Ana T. Moas, Lauren M. Pascual, Alexandra M. Paz, Maria F. Pigna, Monica A. Robelo, Monica E. Romanach, Cassandra A. Sanabria, Melodie A. Sanchez, and Katherine Zamora.
Congratulations to senior Cristina I. Sanchez, who was named an AP Scholar with Honor for her performance on last year's AP Exams. The distinction of AP Scholars with Honor is granted to students who receive an average score of at least 3.25 on all AP Exams taken and scores of 3 or higher on four or more of these exams. Cristina shares this distinction with 17 graduates of the Class of 2011: Alexandra C. Caraballo, Christina M. Carbonell, Gabriela E. Casariego, Victoria A. De la Llama, Aymee C. Gonzalez, Kyara M. Marquez, Natalie M. Millan, Monika A. Montero, Angelica I. Pardo, Victoria T. Pereira, Amanda Perez, Malone J. Plummer, Megan K. Rico, Amanda G. Rodriguez, Stephanie M. Salabarria, Susana V. Toyos, and Kelly A Vidal.
Congratulations to seniors Sandra Cabrera, Jade A. Castro, Nicole del Castillo, Katerina Ferradas, Gabriela Figueras, Patricia E. Garcia-Linares, Alyssa V. Gonzalez, Patricia D. Perez, Diana M. Rodriguez, Yvette M. Rodriguez, and Stephanie M. Tillit, who were named AP Scholars for their performance on last year's AP Exams. The distinction of AP Scholars is granted to students who receive scores of 3 or higher on three or more AP Exams. These seniors share this honor with 20 graduates of the Class of 2011: Carolina A. Alvarez, Alana C. Ascanio, Monica E. Barreneche, Allyson Campuzano, Celeste M. Cereijo, Grace A. Cervoni, Claudia B. Colom, Sara C. Diaz de Villegas, Kassandra A. Gonzalez, Amber K. Henry, Alexia M. Incera, Cristina M. Kindelan, Staphanie Lancet, Michelle Merritt, Natasha K. Motola, Arianne H. Reducha, Amanda M. Reyes, Elise C. Rodriguez, Carla P. Smith, and Sofia E. Verdeja.
Congratulations to the Our Lady of Lourdes Academy Silver Knight Nominees, for the school year 2011-2012: Andrea Collins in Social Science, Nathalie de Almagro in General Scholarship, Fabiola de Armas in World Language, Adrianne Lage in Vocational/Technical, Emily Molina in Business, and Patricia Perez in Science.
Congratulations to our volleyball team and the new coaching staff, who were recognized in The Miami Herald. To see the story, please click HERE.
Congratulations to junior Tiffany Suarez, who has been recognized nationally as one of the top basketball recruits in the country, in several Web sites. Check them out here:
http://espn.go.com/womens-college-basketball/recruiting/
http://espn.go.com/college-sports/recruiting/basketball/womens/story/_/i...
http://www.peachstatehoops.com/?p=joppremaccess&sp=featurestories&story=...
Congratulations to the Lourdes Dancers, who competed at a dance convention this past weekend called, "Jump!" Freshman Alexa Perez was selected as a Jump VIP Finalist and won first place with her solo in the teen division. Sophomore Alex Cabrera won a jazz and lyrical scholarship, and Allison del Castillo won a Jump! Scholarship. We are proud of our amazing dancers. Keep up the good work!
Congratulations to seniors Olga Kusche-Iglesias and Stephanie Tillit, who were selected as 2011-2012 National Hispanic Recognition Program Scholars, based on their performance on the 2010 PSAT.
A crew from "Primer Impacto" will be shooting a segment on our campus on Wednesday, Sept. 28. The Spanish news magazine show will feature four of our students in an upcoming series about science accomplishment. Sophomores Gabriela Ballesteros, Christina Gutierrez, Diana Lopez and Lauren Lopez, under the supervision of Science department Chairperson Ms. Susan Fleming, were named Regional Winners in last year's ExploraVision competition, sponsored by Toshiba, for their project, "Chrisdilabyotomy." These students will be the focus of a segment, which will air nation-wide, on "Primer Impacto," in October. Stay tuned for the air date.
In memory of Daniella Tavarez, Class of 2011, who passed away Aug. 28, 2010, after suffering an aortic aneurysm, the school will participate in the FIU Heart Walk on Oct. 29. The walk will take place at the Modesto A. Maidique Campus, 11200 S.W. 8th Street, in Miami, FL. the 5K Walk/Run will begin at 10:00 a.m. The cost to participate is $20, which includes a team t-shirt. If you would like to join our "D-Team," please contact the School Nurse, Ms. Patricia Escobar, at pescobar@olla.org or (305) 667-1623, ext. 227. To see the team page, visit http://miamidadeheartwalk.kintera.org/daniellatavarez
We are pleased to report that the following capital improvements have been made to the facility: (1) Purchased and pending installation of digital antenna to receive local channels, (2) Installed surge suppressors for our main electrical panels, (3) Added 2 walkers' paths and additional speed bumps for safety, (4) Completed termite fumigation in troubled areas, (5) Changed several classroom and office doors, (6) Re-floored several classrooms and the elevator, (7) Installed new computers, including a new iMac Lab in the Computer Resource Room, as well as necessary hardware and software in needed areas, (8) Painted lockers, (9) Painted front patio area (i.e. arches, etc.), (10) Put in a new roof for the auditorium, (11) Remodeled the Athletic Office to accommodate the new Athletic Trainer, (12) Cleaned all first floor AC coils, (13) Changed and upgraded two electrical panels in the kitchen and electrical room, for future capacity needs, (14) Installed a 30 amp circuit for kitchen steamer, (15) Put in a new roof in the business office and Campus Ministry, (16) Removed privacy screen in Main Office, (17) Continued yearly summer maintenance and repair to building (i.e. painting, cleaning, repairs, etc.), (18) Added new 20 amp circuit for Teacher Work Room, which was needed for new copier, (19) Rewired for a new 3-way switch in the Library for the Computer Resource Room, (20) Installed a new circuit for the Business Office AC, to avoid overloading the current circuit, (21) Repaired a lost electrical connection to Room 203, (22) Rewired and replaced the outdoor boxes of the patio lights, to replace existing corroded equipment, (23) Installed new outlets underneath all six workstations to be able to charge classroom laptops, (24) Purchased a new vending machine for the school, and (25) Purchased a new change machine.
Congratulations to senior Andrea Collins, who is the recipient of the Dade Unit Youth Volunteer Award -- an award given annually by the American Cancer Society for outstanding contributions to the advancement of their mission. Andrea will receive her award on Sept. 22, at the American Cancer Society's Board of Director's annual meeting. Andrea is the founder of Caps4Cancers, a foundation whose mission is to collect caps and hats for cancer patients and raise funding and awareness for cancers. To see how you can contribute to Caps4Cancers, please click HERE.
Congratulations to the members of the 2010-2011 Publications staffs and their adviser, Mrs. Rebecca Q. Retana, who received awards from the National Scholastic Press Association and Columbia Scholastic Press Association, for their work on last year's media. Our literary/art magazine, Literati, received First Class with three marks of distinction from NSPA and a Gold Medalist Certificate from CSPA. Our newspaper, The Grotto, received a Second Class with one mark of distinction from NSPA, and our yearbook, Le Fleuve, received a Silver Medalist Certificate from CSPA.
Senior Andrea L. Collins founded Caps4Cancers, an organization whose mission is to collect caps and hats for cancer patients and raise awareness for cancers. To learn more about the organization and ways you can help, Click HERE.
Congratulations to the members of our student body, who will serve as leaders, presidents and/or captains for their respective class, organization and/or sport, during the 2011-2012 school year. These students were installed into their new positions at the Installation Mass, which took place Monday, Sept. 12, at Church of the Epiphany. May they lead by example this school year. Click HERE to see all the names.
Congratulations to junior Tiffany Suarez, who has been ranked as one of the top 60 high school basketball players in the nation, by ESPN, for the Class of 2013. To see the rankings, click HERE.
Congratulations to Ana Moas, Katherine Zamora, Carla Smith and Vanessa Michaud, graduates of the Class of 2011, who were named semifinalists in the Ayn Rand Institute's 2011 The Fountainhead Essay Contest.
To read older news posts, click HERE.
