Quarter 3 Honors

DUCHESNE ACADEMY 
QUARTER THREE HONORS ASSEMBLY 
20 MARCH 2025 
Honor and Glory to God Alone 

Highest Honor                High Honor                      Honor

Academics

The Certificate of Merit is awarded to two students who have advanced to Finalist standing in the National Merit Scholar program. Congratulations to Aubrey Nguyen and Hannah Fernandes 

 

Student with the highest grade point average in each class:

• Seniors: Annalise Plewa 

• Junior: Bridget Neumann 

• Sophomore: Chloe Langenfeld 

• Freshman: Vivian Griess 

Class with the Highest Average: Seniors

Cum Laude Society:  

 Members are National Honor Society students in the senior class who have a cumulative average of not less than 3.8 and no grade lower than a 84/B in every class junior year as well as the first semester of senior year. Candidates must also show a commitment to either service or leadership with either: 
Service hours: A record of doing service in excess of 1.5 times the required hours each year OR a specific leadership position within the school during junior or senior year AND a good record for upholding normal school rules.

Demianna Abou Sief
Celia Becker
Maria Buechler
Allison Chipps
Hannah Fernandes
Katherine Gering
Noelle Haberman
Natalie Jarosik
Claire Jeffries
Jacqueline Johnson
Elianna Kakish
Cecilia Kwiatek
Grace Leininger
Corinne Mansour
Sydney McCoy
Drew McMahon
Alyssa Moheiser
Susan Morgan-Girgis
Gia Mullin
Delaney Murphy
Aubrey Nguyen
Grace Oberlies
Natalie Peterson
Annalise Plewa
Bridget Russell
Elisabeth Schaben
Sarah Schmaderer
Virginia Skybo
Sadie Snyder
Summer Stidham
Mila Van Belle
Clara Welch
Sasha Willson
Susan Wood
Gwendolyn Zeger

Athletics

NCPA Academic All-State – Honors two sophomores through seniors from each activity or sport who have contributed at the varsity level and have earned at least a 3.7 GPA. Duchesne has multiple students who fit the criteria, so we select the two students with the highest GPA in each activity or sport. 

Basketball: Adele Patch & Summer Stidham 

Bowling: Meg Cordes & Sarah Schmaderer 

Swim/Dive: Aubrey Nguyen & Mila Van Belle 

The following students were named to the River Cities All-Conference Swim/Diving Team – determined by event winners at conference meet.  

Seniors:  Jackie Johnson, Elise Schaben, Grace Thayer, Lilly Thayer, Mila Van Belle 

Freshman:  Amelia Dolan 

The following students were named to the River Cities All-Conference Basketball Team:

Jada James

Members of the Academic River Cities All-Conference team honors sophomores – seniors who maintained at least a 3.5 GPA while earning a varsity letter.

Bowling:  
Juniors: Julia Drickey, Katie Guy 

Seniors: Maria Buechler, Meg Cordes,  Natalie Jarosik, Sarah Schmaderer 

Basketball:
Sophomores: Jada James, Olivia Macias, Adele Patch, Josie Quattrocchi 

Juniors: Sophia Ochoa 

Seniors: Addy Kula, Nissi Paul, Sophia Pisarik, Summer Stidham

Swim/Dive
Sophomores: Ainsley Jenkins, Rose Klitz 

Juniors: Elizabeth Gibson, Alexis Ochsner 

Seniors: Emily Brester, Jackie Johnson, Corrine Mansour, Sydney McCoy, Aubrey Nguyen, Sarah Romero, Elise Schaben, Grace Thayer, Lilly Thayer, Grace Uptmor, Mila Van Belle, Susan Wood 

 

Sacred Heart Awards

At a Sacred Heart School, relationships and the building of community are very important.  In “Life at the Sacred Heart” we are told that in coming to a Sacred Heart School each person becomes part of a family.  We are asked to accept with gratitude all those in the school community because it is from others and with others that we learn the importance of love.  The Mes Amis Award is given to those students who continually reach out to others in their class and within the school and, as a result, strengthen our school community.  These are the students who have consistently worked within their own class, those who continually reach out to others, those who are willing to go the extra mile.  This is strictly non-academic in nature.  These are not necessarily students who hold elected office in the school or class.  They place emphasis on relationships. 

The following students receive the Mes Amis Award as voted on by their class. 

Freshmen: Vivian Greiss, Elizabeth Hardy, Beatrice Kramer, Leilani Thomas 

Sophomores:  Mya Cheney, Claire Caskey, Kasha Stolhberg, Maire Weist 

Juniors: Gretchen Foss, Alexis Ochsner, Jieun Shin 

Seniors: Grace Caskey, Leah Font Gable 

 

Barat Service Award 

St. Madeleine Sophie Barat, the founder of the Society of the Sacred Heart, was a person who responded to the needs of her time. Whether it was helping those who were persecuted during the French Revolution or opening schools for the education of young women, she was a person who always had before her the needs of others. Sacred Heart schools aspire to make each student open-eyed to the needs of others and generous and courageous in service. The Barat Service Award is given to those students who have made service a part of their lives and who have generously shared, on an on-going basis, their time and talents. 

Congratulations to the students who traveled to Winnebago in February.
Sophia Finney 
Drew McMahon 
Gwen Zeger 
Corinne Mansour 
Maggie Lickteig 
Natalie Peterson 
Martha Mullen
Anne Cooper 
Eva Kneeland 
Erica Wolf 
Josie Thalken 

St. Madeleine Sophie Barat’s battle cry “Courage and Confidence” and Duchesne Academy’s goal to form women of conscience is seen in the halls of Duchesne every day. The students being honored today live up to St. Madeleine Sophie’s battle cry and lived up to challenges with Courage and Confidence.  

While we were on the Winnebago trip, the teacher who plays guitar at school Masses asked if any of our girls would be willing to be song leaders at all school Mass we'd be attending.  The teacher who normally led the music was going to be gone and they needed help.  These students are not part of any formal choirs at Duchesne,  but that did not stop them from stepping up to help.  Because of their courage and confidence, staff members at St. Augustine suggested the middle school students should be invited to lead the music at future Masses. Congratulations to Anne Cooper, Sophia Finney, Drew McMahon, and Gwen Zeger. 

From Mrs. McConnell: In my experience coordinating the Senior Service Immersion Experience, I have never received such positive feedback about one particular student.  It takes courage and confidence to enter a service site, for which all seniors should be applauded.  This student, however, summoned the courage and confidence inside of her and focused it in a way that resulted in all four supervising  providing amazing feedback about her patience, kindness, and engagement with the students at St. Pius/St. Leo.  Clearly, she used courage and confidence to enter into relationship with those she met on Senior Service, a relationship through which, as Pope Francis writes, she “progressed toward this culture of encounter – in which heart speaks to heart.” Congratulations, Clara Welch. 

This student ran the scoreboard for almost all our home basketball games. The scorers table is a place of high stakes and tension. Most adults are afraid to run the board and make a mistake because basketball is such a fast-paced game. And most adults lack the focus needed to stay on track and keep the board correct. This student runs the scoreboard and possession arrow with confidence and rarely makes a mistake.  With our gratitude for your courage and confidence, congratulations, Olivia Pisarik. 

Everyone knows that Conge is a big fundraising event for Duchesne.  Most of us know that it takes a lot of work to make it happen. Not everyone knows what happens after the event. Three students helped with the silent auction wrap & release- sticking around to see the flurry of activity after the big event.  All of adult volunteers involved in this made a point of sharing how hard they worked, and how helpful they were. They were the last 3 students here, and stayed beyond their time slot to get the items wrapped up, and played a big role in transporting the items from the dance room to the PAC. They were very friendly, hard-working, and very eager to help. Congratulations Ainsley Jenkins, Emma Soto Tighe, Millie Kane 

Not many people realize that Omaha has a fashion week.  Most who do think it is for the adult professional design community and it is.  However, it is also an opportunity for aspiring creatives to show their work to the fashion community. Duchesne had three students this year who had the confidence to create their own fashion designs and the courage to walk the runway during Omaha Fashion Week in their own original design. Congratulations, Delaney Murphy, Kate Gehring, and Mak Smith 

Speaking in front of a crowd is one of the most feared activities for people. For students, speaking in front of groups of adults can be really overwhelming. With goal three and goal five firmly in their hearts, two students faced this challenge. These young women attended  legislative sessions and advocated to our state senators for bills for which they have a passion. They attended in person and with cameras and media coverage of their presentation. We are very proud of your confidence and courage! Congratulations Olu Chvala and Amelia Aspen! 

Two students offered to speak to area middle school students about destigmatizing menstruation. In February, these students went to Dual Language Academy and spoke to the students and teachers. They used their own personal time to create their presentation and bravely presented and then answered questions. Thank youfor your courage and confidence to tackle this important issue. Congratulations Leah Font-Gable and Adriana Olvera. 

The last day of any break is usually spent trying to soak up the last minutes of having no responsibilities hanging over your head.  For three DASH theater students this was not the case.  Sunday the 16th they spent the entire, beautiful afternoon in the theater working on lights for the musical.  This last minute technical session included physical work like hanging and moving lighting equipment and brain work like patching together outlet numbers with the right fixture, all while working with an area professional they had just met. The actors of Seussical are going to shine brightly on a fully lit stage thanks to the hard work and extra time given by the crew. Congratulations: Elizabeth Gibson, Honora Pulido Volkmer and Madeline Cornwell.