Is it a bird? Is it a plane? No, it’s a Soaring Eagle! On Monday, November 21^st, IHA celebrated outstanding students and awarded them with the quarterly Soaring Eagle Awards.

All the Soaring Eagles are proud of their accomplishment.
Photo courtesy of Patrizia Proscia

Each honored student was nominated by a teacher in from a specific department. Here is the list of who was nominated, and for which department:

The Arts – Katrina Fett’19

Communications – Kathleen Rattazzi’17

English – Rebecca Nadler’19

Foreign Language, French – Victoria Lubas’17

Mathematics – Kelsey Agnew’18

Physical Education – Amanda Molloy’20

Religious Studies – Elizabeth Kownacki’18

Sciences – Alanna Fullerton’17

Social Studies – Hannahmia Lauricella’20

Technology – Emma Hammer’18

IHA does Soaring Eagle Awards quarterly to recognize students who have shined in the classroom. They impress their teachers with their eagerness and genuine interest in the subject. Soaring Eagles are the girls who are always willing to help their peers and to learn more. “The Soaring Eagle award is a really special award because it’s not only about the grade but also recognizes hard work and effort,” expresses Emma Hammer’18, two-time Soaring Eagle nominee.

Victoria Lubas, Soaring Eagle for French and Executive Editor-in-Chief of Accents, poses with Principal Schlereth.
Photo courtesy of Patrizia Proscia

The Soaring Eagles celebrated with their families Monday morning, November 21^st, in the Information Commons.

Each department must choose a girl from a different grade level for each quarter. That way, freshmen through seniors are represented in every department for Soaring Eagles by the end of the year. However, because only 40 Soaring Eagles are recognized a year, 10 for each quarter, not everyone who may be deserving of a Soaring Eagle award may receive one. All IHA girls are worthy of being Soaring Eagles but there are just not enough opportunities to nominate them.

Mrs. Pecora explains it best while talking about her nominee, Rebecca Nadler’19, “Soaring Eagle nominees come from all track levels – CP, Honors and Stem – and the Soaring Eagle Awards is an opportunity for teachers to nominate students that deserve recognition in a particular discipline.  Rebecca has been a stand-out student since September, when I first met her.  Although I haven’t known her very long, Rebecca impresses me with her genuine willingness to learn.  She makes keen literary observations and often unearths hidden themes.  In addition to being assertive during class discussions, she is a conscientious student who enthusiastically completes every assignment.  Rebecca has all of the qualities of a Soaring Eagle!”

By Heather Farrell’18, Junior Editor-in-Chief