Loyola Marks the End of the School Year at the Sending Forth Mass

Kate Ginn '23 delivered the Call to Worship, followed by Kelly Morgan '23, with the First Reading. For the responsorial psalm, Malina Mandel '23 and Noah Tekhle '23 sang a beautiful duet of "Hold Us Together" (H.E.R. and Tauren Wells), which is based on Psalm 121. After the celebration of the Eucharist, Social Studies and Languages Teacher Mr. Alex DeWitt, SJ, renewed his perpetual first vows in the Society of Jesus. These vows are renewed yearly by Jesuits before their ordination and are a sign and symbol of their commitment to the Society through the vows of chastity, poverty, and obedience.

Next, Loyola Academy Principal Charlie Heintz presented a number of special awards—and then received his own special gift to mark his service and leadership at Loyola for the past 25 years.

—The Michael Rebarchak Memorial Award—
The Rebarchak Award is presented annually to a senior student who has modeled service to our school community. This award honors the memory of Michael Rebarchak, an outstanding member of the Class of 1979, and it recognizes the substantive yet unheralded contribution made to Loyola by a senior student who quietly makes things happen through his or her involvement in and around the school. The 2023 Rebarchak Award winner is Noah Tekhle.

"Described as 'one of a kind, resilient, curious, involved,' Noah is the epitome of a servant leader," Heintz said of Tekhle. "His involvement is extensive and varied, making an impact by being willing to do whatever it takes to make a group work—arriving early, staying late, sharing a smile. He embodies the essence of the Class of 2023, a group whose high school experience was interrupted by COVID. …He has embodied what it means to be open to growth, loving, and committed to making Loyola a more welcoming community. You can always count on this year’s winner to show up and humbly lead by example."

—The Fausone Medal—
The Dumbach Scholars Honors Program annually presents the Fausone Medal, which recognizes one of our most inspirational students, Molly Fausone, a member of the Class of 2008. Despite a traumatic accident before her sophomore year, Molly excelled in the classroom, on sports teams, and as a key contributor to the Dumbach Scholars. The Fausone Medal winner is awarded to a member of our community who inspires us. Prior Fausone Medalists have inspired with their perseverance, their activism and their heroism. This year’s winners represent the ideals of this award by demonstrating how to put love into action for our community during a difficult time. The 2023 Fausone Medal recipient is Ms. Joan Dowdle.

"The recipient of this year's Fausone Medal has been a steadfast advocate for her students," said Heintz. "Our winner was nominated by her peers, stating 'she is the embodiment of a Rambler;' 'A teacher who sees a student’s "full potential regardless of their challenges.' Her passion for 'learning how we learn' has influenced her colleagues and the personal and professional growth of thousands of OSH Scholars. She has been a teacher, coach and mentor to generations of Ramblers over the past 35 years. Her dedication sustains and supports student improvement. She exemplifies the words of St. Ignatius that 'Love is shown more in deeds than in words.'"

Congratulations to the senior class and all of our 2023 award recipients!