Marian High School

Accomplishments
Since Marian opened its doors in 1955, the women who have come and gone have continued to prove themselves as empowered, confident, independent, thinking leaders; Marian today is no different. We define “leaders” as women who use their talents and faith to give hope to and make a difference in the world. Our Marian girls are embracing leadership roles in the classroom, on the stage, on the court or in their community.

Academics

Marian has been twice recognized as a Blue Ribbon School of Academic Excellence by the U.S. Department of Education.

Marian has been recognized for outstanding proficiency on the American High School Mathematics Examination.

Members of the of Class of 2009 were accepted to more than 120 colleges and universities across the country including Boston College, Stanford University, Georgetown University, Johns Hopkins University and Washington University.

On average, 99% of our graduates continue on to college. All 134 members of the Class of 2009 are continuing their education at a four-year college or university. Click here to see a list of colleges and universities where the Class of 2009 was accepted.

The Class of 2009 received more than $8.7 million in scholarships to public and private colleges and universities.

On November 11, 2009 Marian High School inducted 12 seniors and 62 juniors into its Maria Chapter of the National Honor Society (NHS). To be eligible as a member of the NHS, students must be of junior or senior standing and embody four qualities: leadership, scholarship, character and service. A candidate must hold a leadership position, either elected or appointed, in a group or club; she must maintain a 3.5 GPA at the beginning of the year; an evaluation of her character is based on teacher recommendations; and she is required to complete 15 hours of community service at one service site outside of the Marian community, as well as participate in two Marian activities or clubs with a minimum of 15 hours each.

Seniors Makayla Caumeran and Alexis Fee were recognized as finalists in the 2010 National Merit Competition. The nationwide pool of semifinalists, which represents less than one percent of U.S. high school seniors, includes the highest scoring entrants in each state. The National Merit Scholarship Competition has recognized 150 Marian scholars/students since 1982.

Senior Claire Townley received the National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE) 2009 Award for Superior Performance in Writing. As a result, Marian's English Department was recognized for its excellence in its instructional program. The Achievement Awards in Writing is a school-based writing program established in 1957 to encourage high school students in their writing and to recognize publicly some of the best student writers in the nation. Claire is one of 544 students, out of more than 1,700 entries, who was recognized for her writing achievements.

Leadership
The Marian High School 2008-2009 Student Board was recognized as an Outstanding Student Council at the Nebraska Association of Student Councils (NASC) annual conference in October. The Student Board was also recognized by the Make-A-Wish Foundation, NASC’s official charity of choice, for raising over $1,000 and making the wish of a trip to Hawaii a reality for a girl named Molly.

On November 18, 2009, Marian juniors, DeSean Anderson, Maddy Coble, Jazmyne Cooker, Molly McCarthy, Natalie Montanez, Gianna Moore, Amy Okell and Betsy Ronspies, participated in A World of Difference Institute Peer Leadership Program sponsored by the Anti-Defamation League (ADL). A World of Difference Institute Peer Leadership Program promotes the development of leadership skills within the context of social justice. In addition, it lends outstanding resources and a clear implementation plan to promote the development of knowledge and skills young people need to create respectful, inclusive schools and communities.

Marian sophomores, Grace Dickerson and Muireann Greely have been chosen for Youth Leadership Omaha Class 17. Youth Leadership Omaha (YLO), an organization sponsored by Creighton University’s College of Business and Applied Information Management Institute, is an interactive leadership development program which informs, motivates and increases awareness of selected high school sophomores through issue-oriented seminars and interaction with community decision-makers. Grace and Muireann were two of 130 applicants from 21 schools.

As leaders on the court or field or in the water, 15 Marian seniors signed letters of intent accepting scholarships to participate in collegiate volleyball, softball, basketball, soccer and swimming. This is the most athletic college scholarship recipients in Marian’s history. Make sure to check out Marian’s athletic page on for more details on these girls’ achievements and awards in their respective sport.

Amelia Ambrose signed to play soccer for Loyola University of Chicago.
Monica Bosiljevac signed to play soccer for the University of Nebraska – Omaha.
Sara Borowiak signed to play softball for the University of Nebraska - Kearney.
Kelly Lange signed to play soccer at Wayne State College.
Julianne Mandolfo signed to play volleyball for Creighton University.
Vicky McIntyre signed to play basketball for Oklahoma State University.
Ellen McCormick is signing to play soccer for the University of Wyoming in Laramie.
Melanie McCormick signed to play soccer for the University of Nebraska – Omaha.
Claire McKay signed to swim for Xavier University.
Shelby Mendlik signed to play softball for Doane University.
Ellie Pesavento signed to play volleyball for the University of Nebraska - Kearney.
Margaret Powers signed to play soccer at Iowa State University in Ames.
Jeri Simon signed to play softball for Iowa Western Community College.
Rachel Thrash signed to play basketball for Benedictine College in Atchison, KS.
Logen Watts signed to play soccer for the University of Nebraska – Omaha.

(Not pictured: Jeri Simon)

Service

In collaboration with the Creighton University Institute for Latin American Concern, more than a dozen Marian students and teachers traveled to the Dominican Republic for the fourth year in a row to participate in a service/immersion trip.

Members of Marian's National English Honor Society (NEHS) fulfilled their year-long service project focusing on children’s literacy with a book drive for St. Bernard Catholic Grade School and by providing more than 75 Karen refugee children from Myanmar with a learning pack, which consisted of two activity or coloring books and a box of crayons. NEHS encourages its members to use their talents in the service of others and follows the national motto of, “Gelast sceal mid are,” the Old English phrase which translates to, “duty goes with honor.” Marian’s NEHS Marcella Chapter was established in the Spring of 2009 and named in honor of Sr. Marcella Sitzmann, OSM, a servant of Mary, former English teacher and the first principal of Marian High School. Fifty-seven juniors and seniors who hold a 4.0 GPA in five semesters of required English courses were inducted into this chapter, the only one in the state of Nebraska.

Marian’s religion classes adopt families in need for the Easter season. The families are identified through a local elementary school. The girls package necessity items with “wish list” gifts and deliver right before the Easter holiday. This year, religion classes taught by Pat Hess Travis’ ’64 worked collaboratively to serve the needs of one family with 16 children.

Each junior at Marian participates in an Entertaining Angels retreat at the Open Door Mission. The Entertaining Angels title was derived from Hebrews 13:1-2: "Let mutual love continue. Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for by doing that some have entertained angels without knowing it.” The objectives of the retreat are to give students meaningful interaction with those at the margins of our society and to give the students and facilitator ample opportunity to identify and discuss the root causes of homelessness/poverty. As a result, Marian girls continue their relationship with the homeless through additional volunteer opportunities.

Fine Arts

Two of Marian’s musicians were selected to participate in the 2009 All-State Musical Ensembles. Cellist Linnea Tracy, senior, was chosen to participate in the All-State Orchestra and Alto 2 Kaitlin Zardetto-Smith, also a senior, will be part of the All-State Chorus. Each year, over 2,000 of the best high school musicians in the state audition for the Nebraska All-State Band, Chorus, Jazz Band and Orchestra, sponsored by the Nebraska Music Educators Association. Selection as a member of one of these groups is one of the highest musical honors attainable in Nebraska.

The Marian's Girls’ Octet was selected to sing the National Anthem at the University of Nebraska Coliseum in Lincoln prior to the start of the 2009 NSAA Volleyball Championship Finals. Marian’s Octet was selected from a group of candidates who auditioned via recorded format. Members of the Octet include seniors Taylor Benson, Jane Byrne, Savanna McDonald, Kaitlin Zardetto-Smith, Stephanie Sojka, and juniors Kathleen Gerber, Megan Morrissey and Nicole Sojka.

For the first time, Marian collaborated with Creighton Prep for its annual Fall Musical, and students from both schools had the unique opportunity of performing this year’s show, the Tony-award nominated Once Upon a Mattress, based on the Hans Christian Andersen fable The Princess and the Pea, at the Omaha Community Playhouse. Senior Ann Brudney, daughter of Patty Neary Brudney ’75, played the lead role of Princess Winnifred of Woebegone. Check out photos from this colorful and energetic production on Marian’s website. Click on the “Photo Gallery” button on the home page.

NSAA Activities/Athletics

For the third year in a row, Marian is the proud recipient of the Nebraska School Activities Association (NSAA) All-Activities Award, the U.S. Cellular Cup, in the Girls Division of Class A for the 2008-2009 school year. The NSAA All-Activities Award recognizes high schools having the most successful interscholastic activities programs in the state for the year. Last year Marian received Nebraska High School Championships in golf and tennis and finished runner-up or in third place in basketball, swimming and soccer, in addition to earning NSAA championship points in nine different activities during the year, such as journalism, speech and music.

Seven journalism students attended the Journalism Education Association/National Scholastic Press Association Fall Convention in Washington, D.C. from November 12 – 15. All seven girls competed in the National Write-Off Competitions. Senior Kristen Beal received a Superior in Yearbook Copy/Caption for the Student Life section of the yearbook; junior Anna Woods received an Excellent for the Literary Magazine in Poetry; junior Natalie Montanez received an Excellent in News Editing/Headline Writing; senior Hailey Konnath received an Honorable Mention for Editorial Writing; senior Kati Marcotte received an Honorable Mention in Review Writing; junior Allie Schima was a contestant in the Yearbook Sports Photography category and senior Lauren Armendariz was a contestant in the Sports Writing category. The 2009 Network staff was recognized as a Pacemaker Finalist from the NSPA and the 2010 Network was up for the Best of Show publication award.

Newspaper cartoonist, senior Ann Brudney, was named one of the top four editorial cartoonists in the state through a special Journalism Education Association Student Editorial Cartoon Contest. Her work from the April 2009 Network was sent to the national level representing Nebraska.

Congratulations to the 2009 Golf Team and coach Jim Miller, for its fifth consecutive state title. Five members of the golf team finished within the top 20, winning individual titles. Junior Erin O’Brien, placed second in the state. Junior Jordan Rearick placed fourth; freshman Sara Jo Pravecek tied for fifth; senior Caroline Nelsen tied for 13th; and senior Sydney Smith tied for 18th. This is the 10th state championship for Marian’s Golf Team. In addition, Caroline Nelsen was named a finalist for the Wendy’s Heisman Award for her strengths in academics, community service and athletics, which placed her among the top 20 students in Nebraska to receive this award.

Sophomore Lauren Sieckmann has been named the 2009 National Sophomore of the Year by prepvolleyball.com. Sieckmann was also a finalist last year for the National Freshman of the Year honor. This past volleyball season, Lauren has received both local and national recognition for her performance on the Crusader court. As a setter and right side attack for Marian, she leads the mighty Crusaders in assists and kills. Nationally, Lauren was named Gatorade’s Nebraska Volleyball Player of the Year by the Gatorade Company and ESPN RISE! and was chosen for the 2010 U.S. Girls’ Youth National Volleyball team by the U.S.A. Volleyball High Performance Indoor Program.

Congratulations to Marian's 2009 Varsity Volleyball team and Coach Rochelle Rohlfs who claimed the State Championship Title on November 14, 2009. This win secured the first volleyball state title for the Crusaders since 1999. Many members of Marian’s Varsity Volleyball team received post-season recognition from the Lincoln Journal Star and Omaha World-Herald newspapers.

Lincoln Journal Star:
First team Super-State:
Sophomore Lauren Sieckmann, Honorary Captain
Senior Julianne Mandolfo

First team Class A:
Sophomore Lauren Sieckmann
Senior Julianne Mandolfo

Second team Class A:
Junior Andrea Spaustat

Honorable Mention:
Senior Ellie Pesavento
Senior Mel McCormick

Omaha World-Herald:
All-Nebraska First Team:
Sophomore Lauren Sieckmann, Captain
Senior Julianne Mandolfo

All-Nebraska Third Team:
Senior Ellie Pesavento

First team Class A:
Sophomore Lauren Sieckmann
Senior Julianne Mandolfo

Second team Class A:
Junior Andrea Spaustat
Senior Ellie Pesavento

Honorable Mention Class A:
Sophomore Kate Elman
Senior Mel McCormick
Junior Morgan Ogorzaly-Eaton
Senior Michelle Pettit
Senior Jordann Wilson

Special Team Honors:
The team was ranked #1 by both newspapers all season long.
The team was also ranked #12 nationally by http://www.prep.com/.

(Photo courtesy of the Omaha World-Herald)