2011-2012: Mary Frances Roll

Mary Frances is a member of the Student Government Executive Board. She works for peace and unity by encouraging students to become involved and she promoted teamwork as captain of the Junior Varsity Lacrosse team. Through her church's Sunday School program, she introduces four year olds to conflict resolution.

2012-2013: Caroline Mooney, Senior

Caroline is an active student, serving as a peer mentor in the Paul VI Options Program. This program seeks to integrate students with intellectual disabilities into the total life of the school. Peer mentors at Paul VI assist these students with the routine of high school activities from class participation to outside school activities so that they can have a rewarding high school experience. According to Vice Principal Tom Opfer, “Caroline gave more than 50 hours to the Options Students and modeled to the whole community that all of God’s children are to be loved and respected – a true witness to peace and acceptance.”

Caroline also developed and implemented a shoe collection for the Maison Fortune Orphanage in Hinche, Haiti. These orphans are often looked down upon and treated unfairly because they do not have basic necessities. A contribution of something as simple as shoes brings them dignity and value – and also raises awareness in students here in Virginia.

2013-2014: Mary Krolicki, Senior

“Mary Krolicki promotes peace on a daily basis,” says Vice Principal Tom Opfer. As a leader in Student Government for four years and the current School President, Mary’s mission is to establish a personal relationship with everyone in the school and to build an environment of inclusion.

Mary particularly seeks out new students to make them feel welcome, to connect them with others, and to encourage their involvement in the school community. Her goal, she explains, is to “make sure students are happy in their environment, that no one feels left out, and that no one feels threatened by anything.” She describes her role as being a “cheerleader” for others, encouraging them and helping them use their talents where most needed.

Mary was selected to attend the St. Francis DeSales Salesian Leadership Camp in Michigan. The week-long experience enriched her faith and further developed her spiritual life. She says it was influential in her decision to help her school and community in a more dynamic way by affirming her desire to hold a leadership role and create real changes.

Last June, Mary served as a student leader on a mission trip to Belize, where students from Paul VI worked with other students from around the U.S. to serve a local community. The trip gave Mary another opportunity to practice her ministry of inclusion, both within her diverse work group and with children from the community.

Among other activities, they built a ramp so that two boys in wheelchairs would have access to the local church, they involved the children in painting murals on the church walls, and they taught the children how to play lacrosse.

Mary says she finds inspiration in the words of St. Francis de Sales, the school’s patron saint, “Nothing is so strong as gentleness; nothing so gentle as real strength.”