The Lions’ Roar
Outdoor Ed 2022
BY: KAI SHAW AND MARIA FOLEY
Freezing cold nights, hundreds of hotdogs and hamburgers, and memories none of the students will ever forget. The Outdoor Ed 2022 trip was one of the best ever. On a warm, sunny Tuesday morning in September, seventh and eighth graders came into Lourdes, hands filled with food and camping gear. Hours later, everyone was piled into the bus ready to go with two vans, Mrs. Long’s car, and Mr. Long’s truck following behind with all the supplies.
Once the bus arrived at Cunningham Falls State Park, everyone made a mad dash to claim their cabins and use the bathrooms. Before hiking, Mr. Long gave all the students (and teachers!) a water bottle, like he does every year, to chug because “dehydration is the enemy!” Everyone hiked to the Falls where they sang “God Bless the USA” for an audience of surprised but delighted hikers. After a long, tiring hike back to the campsite, everyone took a shower, changed into their pajamas and, with the help of Mr. Long, worked out the fire shift schedule.
Tuesday night was a sleepless but super fun night full of singing and storytelling around the campfire. The next day, a small group of students rose bright and early to join Mr. Keane in an intense workout. Not long after, everyone else woke up and had a breakfast consisting of a wide variety of cereals, PopTarts toasted on the grill, and granola bars. After everyone was fed, dressed, and ready for the day, another water chugging contest took place and then everyone set out for that day’s hike. Following the ten minute ride there, everyone hiked up to the top of the mountain to climb Chimney Rock. Chimney Rock was connected to a different rock so the students had to belly crawl backwards to the edge where Mr. Long was waiting to catch their legs and lower them gently so they could slowly make their way to Chimney Rock. This process was repeated for the eighth grade boys, eighth grade girls, seventh grade girls, and seventh grade boys, allowing them all to sit on the rock’s edge and take a photo. And though some of them did not want to, Mr. Long convinced them it would be a fun and memorable experience, and they have yet to say otherwise! Next up was climbing Wolf Rock.
After a short hike, everyone settled on top of Wolf Rock. They looked out amongst the trees and along the horizon with nothing but the sound of the wind whistling and leaves rustling. The setting sun, changing leaves, and crisp fall air created memories students will never forget. Unfortunately, it was getting late so the seventh graders, Mrs. Long, Mr. Keane, and Mrs. Poole all headed back to the campsite to take showers and start dinner. Meanwhile, the eighth grade and Mr. Long stayed back to experience some more unforgettable moments. They climbed through a cave under Wolf Rock, and Mike Melluzzo and Mr. Long climbed down the side creating memories for the eighth grade they will never forget! Once Mr. Long and the eighth graders returned to the campsite, everyone started on a delicious dinner of hamburgers, hotdogs, and s'mores, courtesy of the seventh grade and Mr. Keane. Sadly, after dinner, Mrs. Poole had to drive home, but she accidentally took one of the two pairs of van keys with her. So, Mrs. Long and all the eighth grade girls met her at McDonald’s to pick them up and also get a little snack! To round off a memorable day, the girls played “Footloose” at full volume when they drove into the campsite, allowing everyone to know they were home!
On Thursday morning, Mrs. Long burst open the doors to the girls’ cabins and started blasting “Fancy Like” to wake the students up! Although some were a little cranky at first, it was a great way to lighten the mood before leaving. When everybody had woken up, Mr. Long hosted the final water chugging competition of the trip and a count was done to make sure everyone was accounted for. Next, the time had come to pack the duffel bags and backpacks and clean the cabins, making sure the campsite was left better than they found it. Finally, they loaded the bus and started back home to Lourdes. On the way there, Mr. Long put the big Bluetooth speaker in the middle of the bus and blasted everyone’s favorite tunes, making it hard for anyone to be sad about leaving Cunningham Falls. When they arrived, everyone enjoyed spaghetti, fettuccine, and penne pasta for lunch, graciously provided by Mamma Lucia and played outside until their parents came to pick them up. Yes, the seventh and eighth graders didn’t learn math and science on their three days in Cunningham Falls, but what they learned was something much more important: the importance of following directions, teamwork, and friendship. The memories made camping this year will last a lifetime.
The Parish Picnic
BY: NINA RUBIO AND JACK REILLY
On Saturday, September 24, teachers and staff of OLOL and parishioners of OLOL Church came together to have fun and grow together as a community. The parish picnic took place on the field and in the cafeteria. At the parish picnic there was food including cheeseburgers, hamburgers, donuts, cookies, rice, beans, kabobs, mac and cheese, and shaved ice. Gabriella Anderson, 5th grade, said, “The mac and cheese was good because it was very cheesy.” That sounds like a pretty fun night!
Church Ceiling Goes Blue!
BY: MATTHEW R. DEIGAN
Our beloved church and school have undergone many renovations over the years, but the one on the church ceiling might be the best renovation yet. In the past, the church ceiling has experienced water damage, cracks, and other factors from age and time. Recently, Fr. Rob had the ceiling in the church refurbished and painted. Besides its beauty and sentiment, this ceiling refurbishment fixed the leaking from the ceiling and will help avoid any more cracks or other factors in the future. The ceiling has the colors of the school, blue and gold, which is one of the best features of the newly painted ceiling. This project included a lot of generosity from the members of the parish including a local member that donated $135,000, and the church itself donated half of the money to fix the roof problems and the ceiling. Along with the repainting of the ceiling, the walls were painted to their original color. This project was done by contractors that had to bring in a lot of scaffolding, and the pews in each row were removed. The design for the ceiling was done by a man from Gardiner Hall, which is a church designer company. Four designs were given, and they chose the first option, gold and blue. Haven't seen it yet? It makes the church ten times more beautiful than it was. Fr. Rob said, “There's a reason why we chose the main color blue. It's supposed to remind us of heaven above.”
A Solemn Day at Arlington
BY: PATRICK CAUFIELD & MARCO FOLEY
On September 21, 2022, the fifth grade went on a field trip to Arlington National Cemetery. They went on this specific day because it was the anniversary of Brendan Looney’s death, a brave Navy SEAL who gave his life in Iraq and Mrs. Quinn’s brother. Mr. Long taught them many things about the military. Nina Rubio said, “I want to go again because it was very peaceful, interesting, and humbling.” The fifth grade also saw the Changing of the Guard at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. Jack Reilly said, “I thought that it was very sad to see so many graves.” They also paid their respects to Brendan Looney and Travis Manion, Brendan Looney’s best friend who also gave his life for our country. The two are buried next to each other at Arlington. It was a solemn and fascinating field trip.
Truly, a Fantastic Friday
BY: AMIR EBRAHIM
Fun Friday is a schoolwide OLOL event for the current students, alumni, and Lourdes community. Everyone comes together to have an amazing time consisting of sports, manhunt, pizza, and much more. This wonderful gathering was on September 23, 2022, from 6:00 to 9:00 PM. Fun Friday was held at the Lourdes’ outdoor field and throughout the school because of manhunt and pizza. This is a schoolwide gathering held annually to get back together and have a delightful time. Fun Friday started off by playing soccer and other sports with friends, then eating pizza in the cafeteria, and playing a schoolwide manhunt. “Finding all of the younger kids and scaring them” was 8th grader Danny McGee’s favorite memory. The best part of Fun Friday is that kids get to take a break from academics. Children as young as Little Group to Eighth graders participate in this event to celebrate recreational activities and engage in camraderie. Kids get to burn off energy and stress by engaging in activities that are good for a healthy, active lifestyle. “Playing soccer with my friends” was Zachary Hailu’s, 5th grader, favorite memory. Lourdes makes Fun Friday so much fun that kids do not usually want to go home, and Mr. Long has to turn the lights off and tell everyone to go home! Events like this set Lourdes apart from other schools because kids realize how learning is as important as recreation and sports. The evening is especially important to the eighth graders because they get to help run the event.
Sweet Starbucks
BY: AMBER BETTIS
If you are hungry, and want to have a good time with your friends, you should check out your local Starbucks. Starbucks is very convenient when it comes to location, having one down every couple streets! Many customers grab a snack and drink while going to work. Also, the shop serves little treats like muffins, cake pops, and sandwiches. They also sell tons of tea and coffee! The place is not anything fancy; you can even walk in in your pajamas. The place always has some music playing, and there is a great atmosphere. Starbucks always has fun decorations for seasons and holidays. Starbucks is not on the cheap or healthy side, but it is a nice treat. Many people get coffee, a pastry, or various kinds of juice drinks. My personal favorite is the Strawberry Refresher. This drink is a cold blend of strawberry acai lemonade with some pieces of whole strawberries inside. The only downside of Starbucks is the cost; it is on the expensive side. However, their service is amazing! The workers are accommodating, super sweet, and kind. I recommend you swing by and give Starbucks a chance!
Mamma Lucia’s Night
BY: FORD HAVERBACK AND EDDIE VELASQUEZ
After an epic win over San Miguel, the 14U boys’ soccer team and their family members went to get pizza at Mamma Lucia’s on Mamma Lucia’s Night. On this night, September 15, 2022, in College Park, Maryland, the boys and their families enjoyed a gargantuan meal, treated by Mr. Long, to celebrate the OLOL victory. The night was filled with pepperoni pizza, hot wings, dancing, laughter, and most importantly, soccer. This is a night that nobody on the 14 U boys’ soccer team, supporting family members, coaches, or friends will ever forget. This truly was a night to remember.
