Oakcrest School

Finding Your Whistle

Oakcrest School was excited to host Mr. Christopher Ullman, father of Alydia, Class of 2020, as the keynote speaker of the 2018 Honor Society Induction.  The four-time International Whistling Champion, Christopher Ullman, presented stories from his recently published book, Find Your Whistle, the heartwarming, hilarious, and outrageous journey of a Washington and Wall Street insider who uses his simple gift to touch hearts and change lives.

Chris started his puckered pursuits at age five, whistled incessantly while delivering newspapers as a teen, jammed with jazz bands in college, and worked the open mike circuit in his Washington, DC home in the 1980s-90s. He competed nine times at the National and International Whistling Convention and served as a judge twice.

Chris has appeared on The Tonight Show, The Today Show, CNN, NPR, CNBC and has been featured in The New York Times, People Magazine, The Washington Post, and Time Magazine. His repertoire includes classical, blues, jazz, Broadway, and rock. In 2000, Chris was named the Lillian Williams Whistling Entertainer of the Year, and in 2003 he released his debut CD, The Symphonic Whistler. In 2012 Chris was inducted into the International Whistling Hall of Fame.

By day Chris is a Director of Global Communications at The Carlyle Group, an investment firm based in Washington, D.C.

 

The Prayer of the Children

On March 20, Oakcrest sophomores Falan Kifle, Grace Nolin, and Hope Partrick led an all-school memorial to honor the victims of the Stoneman Douglas shooting.

At the memorial, Oakcrest Chorus performed The Prayer of the Children by Kurt Bestor.

Photo credit:  Klotography

4th Annual O'Donovan Humanities Lecture featuring Dr. Glenn Arbery

Dr. Glenn Arbery, President of Wyoming Catholic College, provides insights on what woman essentially is by nature.  He does this by examining the character of Eve and how she has been depicted in literature throughout the ages.  Dr. Arbery will discuss contemporary secular views as well as the works of John Milton and C. S. Lewis building toward an image of what holy contemporary femininity can and does look like.  The image he draws us toward is one of beauty, strength, intelligence and piety that leads one to thrive and contribute to the culture as trustees of humanity.

 

Learn more: 4th Annual O'Donovan Humanities Lecture

 

 

Made to Last: Why the involvement of well-formed women is essential for the future of STEM

In the latest edition of Thursday Tea and Talk, sponsored by Oakcrest Parent Association, Dr. Kat Hussmann tackles the subject of careers in STEM.  Dr. Hussmann shares her professional experience and highlights the Oakcrest science curriculum which prepares young women to thrive in the science and technology fields.  Dr. Hussmann serves as a coach to the Oakcrest Science Olympiad team -- the only all-female team to compete in the rigorous regional science competition.

Dr. Hussmann holds a Ph.D. in Biology from the University of Maryland, College Park, and a B.S. in Biochemistry and B.A. in Spanish from the University of Illinois, Champaign-Urbana. She has done postdoctoral research and has had a number of experiences teaching both college and younger students. She has completed an NIH intensive course called “Scientists Teaching Science,” and has coauthored many peer-reviewed publications. She  is dedicated to helping high school students understand and analyze scientific literature, and she joined Oakcrest as a full-time faculty member in 2015.

Virtus et Veritas

A good example has twice the value of good advice.

Senior, Makena Kiara, speaks at the 2018 Veritas Award reception and reflects upon her seven-year journey at Oakcrest.  Makena highlights the virtues that are the cornerstone of the prestigious scholarship award -- leadership, selflessness and service to others.

 

Empathy Through Ensemble: How Theatre Makes You A Better Person

Did you know that audience hearts beat as one during a live performance?  Get behind-the-scenes access to Oakcrest's theatre program with Theatre Director and Theatre Arts Teacher, Camille Pozderac.

Camille has a B.A. in Journalism and Theatre Studies and an M.F.A. in Acting. She received the Award for Excellence in Creativity, Theatre Department, The Ohio State University, 2014 and a department award for production of her one-act play, Southern Cross the Dog. Camille has trained with the Royal Shakespeare Company’s Stand Up for Shakespeare Program in Stratford-upon-Avon, 2013. She is also trained in and practitioner of the Hunter Heartbeat Method, Shakespeare drama intervention designed for children on the autism spectrum.

Capping It Off: The Oakcrest Senior Thesis

The Senior Thesis is the cumulative, independent research project that all students undertake during their final year. With the guidance of a mentor faculty member, seniors embark on a seven-month intellectual journey as they delve into a topic of personal interest, write a 15-page college-level research project, and ultimately present their topic in front of the school.  Join Mrs. Lisa Kenna, Master Teacher, English Literature and Senior Thesis Coordinator, as she leads you through the senior thesis journey.

The Senior Thesis Effect

More than just a research paper, the Senior Thesis is the capstone of a student's senior year at Oakcrest and represents a culmination of her studies. It’s an opportunity for each senior to demonstrate all the skills she gained while at Oakcrest—critical thinking, organization, research, leadership, written and oral communication skills—and primes students for college-level thinking and writing.

Miss Elizabeth Black, Master Teacher, Classical Languages, shares the "backwards planning" leading Oakies to the senior thesis project as well as anecdotes from Oakcrest alumnae on how they were prepared for the rigor of college academics based on their senior thesis experiences.

How Reading and Writing Letters Promotes Character Growth

The monthly Tea & Talk, brought to you by Oakcrest Parent Association, features Dr. Kathleen Sullivan, Upper School English Literature teacher and 10th grade Class Dean.  

Adventures in Parenting Seminar with Julia and Martin Boles

Parties, Peer Pressure, Popularity (& Parenting)   

An evening of conversation with Julia and Martin Boles, parents of Miss Ginny Boles, Oakcrest’s Dean of Students. As the parents of nine children ranging in age from 13 to 27, founding parents of St. Monica’s Academy in Montrose, CA, and Family Enrichment facilitators, they candidly shared their vision and strategies for raising children eager to embrace the adventure of life.