The Alice Paul Chapter of Rho Kappa convened on November 15 for the organization’s twelfth annual induction ceremony. Inductees include 47 Academy of the Holy Angels seniors who have successfully completed the equivalent of four years of social studies courses and demonstrate the organization’s pillars of truth, knowledge, wisdom, and service.
The chapter’s newest members include:
Isabella Butler and Kate Hurst of Hillsdale
Mia Aiko Chang of Valley Cottage, New York
Sidney Chung, Sarah David, Elena Fiorentinos, Katerina Karlis, Penelope Karlis, Elise Kim, Hailey Schacht, and Ava Taylor of Cresskill
Caitlin Deiser and Juliet Gelineau of New Milford
Tristan Fowler of Upper Nyack, New York
Beatrice Gee, Lily Gee, and Celeste Harper of Englewood
Nora Giannantonio, Ashley Miskovitz, and Ava Tripodi of Emerson
Lianna Gourmos, Emily Y. Kim, Kate Qureshi, Alison Roh, Trinity Savage, and Natalie Yoo of Englewood Cliffs
Lauren Gumban of Lodi
Kate Hynes of Park Ridge
Kate Kim of Palisades Park
Katherine Langan of Haworth
Anissa Lena of Moonachie
Hollie Melia of Norwood
Kristina Migliaccio of Franklin Lakes
Valerie Rey of River Vale
Olivia Roque of Little Ferry
Ellie Sawyer of Weehawken
Rain Self of Teaneck
Karina Small of River Edge
Rylie Smith of Saddle River
Emma Spadora and Sienna Speed of Ridgewood
Fiona Sykes of Oradell
Elise Tao of Upper Saddle River
Alexandra Valdez of Oakland
Victoria Velasco of Woodcliff Lake
Annika Watson of Montvale
Maggie Yu of Tenafly
The National Council for the Social Studies established Rho Kappa in 2011. AHA organized its own chapter in 2012, and unanimously opted to name the organization for Alice Paul, whose tireless leadership made women’s suffrage a reality. Since the Academy’s first inductees were honored in 2013, every Rho Kappa member from AHA has received a yellow rose pin, a remembrance of the flowers worn by those who supported Paul’s dedication to the passage of the 19th Amendment, which gave women the right to vote.
AHA Social Studies Department Chair Gail Fair was instrumental in bringing Rho Kappa to AHA. She learned about the establishment of the new organization while she was attending a seminar in Connecticut. At that time, the founders were still hammering out the language of the organization’s constitution, and Fair was asked to include her recommendations.
She noted that Rho Kappa requires members’ commitment to social studies and service. Fair announced that the Alice Paul Chapter will be working on a Campus Ministry service project to benefit the School Sisters of Notre Dame (AHA’s foundresses and sponsors) who work in Haiti.
“It is an open secret that our department is extremely proud that we can offer you classes such as psychology and sociology, economics, international studies, and my own beloved Advanced Placement Government and Politics class,” Fair said. “When you tell me you voted, you make my day!”
She continued, “Here at Holy Angels, we know that the rich history of the School Sisters of Notre Dame speaks directly to female empowerment. So today, think about the word ‘action.’ Our SSNDs say that they ‘educate, advocate, and act, in collaboration with others for the dignity of life and the care of all creation.’ They ask us to be advocates for victims of violence and to make a conscious effort to respect and value girls by dismantling stereotypes and biases that we encounter…I know that our beloved School Sisters, as well as the Holy Angels faculty, will always believe in you and your place in the future of our country and the world. You have the privilege of a Holy Angels education led by these administrators who are among us today. All are women of faith and vision who have supported our faculty and encourage us to be progressive educators…With your enthusiasm for all the challenges and opportunities that will be open to you, I hope you retain a gentleness to accompany the open minds and hearts that you show us each day.”
Ms. Fair and faculty members Jennifer Cucchisi, Patrick Dunne, Jamie Dykes, and Brianne Wolman hosted this year’s ceremony. AHA Principal Jean Miller congratulated the honorees and presented them with their certificates.
