Mariana '23

When Mariana B. ’23 was in the sixth grade at Oakcrest School, she remembers that her classmates in ancient civilization class with history teacher Ms. Ginny Boles would race to be the first ones in the classroom so that they could sit in the front row. 

“That class was like story time,” she recalls. “Ms. Boles brought the stories to life, from the ten plagues of Egypt to the 12 judges of Israel, Cyrus the Great and the Roman Empire. To this day, my classmates and I remember things we learned then and all the fun ways we memorized dates or facts.” 

As Mariana approaches the end of her seven year journey at Oakcrest, she sees the school as a place where the teachers and mentors genuinely invest in the growth of their students not just in the classroom, but as they become young women as well. 

“One aspect I love about Oakcrest is how the teachers are genuinely interested in your growth as a person and as a student,” Mariana explained. “They are always willing to help you in whatever you may need and are so accessible, making time out of their busy schedules to meet with you personally.”

And it isn’t just the relationships that the students have with their teachers; it’s the authentic friendships Mariana is able to have with her classmates as well. 

“Some of my closest friends are the girls in my class that I have essentially grown up with, starting in sixth grade,” she said. “However, there are also others who joined our class in high school, and they are still some of my best friends. There is a special bond between us purely because we have gone through the roughness of school together, but our friendship stretches beyond academics. It also encompasses a genuine interest in the other person’s wellbeing and personal growth. These friends are friends of a lifetime.” 

One of Mariana’s favorite parts of the Oakcrest school day is the chance to attend daily Mass. She serves on a team of students dedicated to preparing the chapel for daily Mass. 

“Going to school in a place that fosters and promotes not only academic growth, but also my spiritual and personal growth is one of the things I value most about my Oakcrest education,” she said. 

For the past three years, Mariana has played on the Varsity tennis team, serving as captain during her senior season. She also has participated in many Oakcrest theatre productions such as The Velveteen Rabbit, Hansel and Gretel, and Mary Poppins. Mariana is also a sister family head for the Dogwood sister family, and enjoys serving as a student ambassador as well as leading the Service Initiative Program, Helping Hands. 

“I’m so grateful that I’m able to share my love of serving people with my Oakcrest community, and provide students with opportunities to serve those around them,” she said. 

One highlight from her days at Oakcrest was working with classmate Mariana A. ’23 to organize a donations drive for Honduras in November of 2020, after the country had been struck by two hurricanes just weeks apart. 

“It was amazing to see everyone in the Oakcrest community step up to help those in need,” Mariana said. “So many items were collected that we filled an entire cargo truck. This drive meant a lot to us because we both have family in Honduras, so it was especially heartwarming to see how the efforts of so many people were able to bring relief to a community so in need.”