ALUMNI

LFS Patriot Alumni - Where Are They Now?

Jamie Leigh Szewczyk, Class of '06
Jamie Leigh Szewczyk, LFS class of 2006, is currently a freshman at Virginia Tech in Blacksburg, VA.  She is a chemical engineering major who wants to one day work in a medical lab doing research (with a concentration on cancer research).  She is a member of the Newman Catholic Community and the Hypatia Living and Learning Community.

Jamie Leigh says about Little Flower: "I have so many great memories from my 9 years at Little Flower.  The ones that come to mind most often include the annual Christmas programs, spaghetti dinners, field days, and of course, the basketball games. The common ingredient of these memories is the relationships that were formed: relationships with my teachers, my coaches, and one of the most important - the friends who I grew up with who still remain some of my best friends today."

When asked how Little Flower helped prepare her for high school and beyond, Jamie Leigh offered: "Little Flower helped to prepare me for high school and college in so many ways. I have been and currently am a leader in my community and in my schools. This road to success all started with my first leadership position as president of Student Council during my 8th grade year. I participated in the LFS sports program in 5th-8th grades, which helped me to learn sportsmanship, as well as teamwork. I learned how to be respectful of teachers, as well as how to behave in a classroom setting. I went on to high school and held offices in student council, was captain of the volleyball team, and president of Key Club. I was also on the honor roll every semester. I am also currently a member of the Alpha Delta Pi Sorority, where I was just chosen as the Junior Panhellenic Delegate.  LFS helped prepare me for all of these things."

When asked about her memories of LFS, Jamie Leigh had this to say: "There are many teachers from Little Flower School who have had such a positive influence my life and who have given me the solid foundation I needed for my high school years at St. Mary's Ryken and now at Virginia Tech. The teachers who I would say were most influential include my very first teacher - Mrs. Bernie Arthur - who remains the kindergarten teacher there to this day! I remember our group tables that we sat at each day where we learned our first lessons on how to work alongside others. Mrs. McKeen (retired), my 5th grade teacher and Confirmation sponsor, is another teacher who was very influential. Fifth grade was the year we were being prepared for middle school, and Mrs. McKeen worked throughout the year in not only preparing us academically, but also emotionally for the challenges we were to encounter as middle school students. In middle school, my 8th grade homeroom teacher, Mr. Reif (current principal of the upper school at Calverton), taught in such a way that I loved to learn from him. I remember that he addressed each of us as either Miss or Mr. and that we felt respected and valued by him. He had taught high school in the past, and therefore, he was able to share his knowledge with us as we prepared to leave Little Flower and move on to our high school years. Then, there is Coach Mike Miles, who still coaches varsity girls basketball at the school. Coach Miles taught me the game of basketball, but more than that, I learned more about teamwork from him than in any classroom. I learned how to teach others and how to lead. Lastly, I have great memories of Mrs. Marsha Leigh Stewart, currently in her 5th year as principal. Mrs. Stewart taught me how to lead with a firm hand and a kind heart. As the principal of the school, she enforced the rules, but at the same time, it was always known how much she loved and cared about each one of us and about Little Flower School."

Thanks, Jamie Leigh, for all your hard work!  Everyone at LFS is so proud of you!  Keep up the great work!