Alumni Fashion News
Oratory Schools’ Alumni Fashion Show joins McAllen Artwalk
L to R: Vanessa Guajardo, Janet Alvarado, Samantha Moroles, Karla Castro, Campus Coordinator, Norma Uvalle, and Development Officer, Maricela Pérez
Imagine a student being turned away from receiving a Catholic school education for lack of money in a scholarship fund. To address this challenge, the Oratory Schools alumni are having a fashion show fundraiser, “Arte En Vogue”.
The fashion show funds are for tuition assistance. The show will be in affiliation with McAllen’s Art Walk, and will feature famous works of art. The alumni have created a unique fashion show that will be inspiring and educational for its models and guests alike.
“Arte En Vogue” will be held at Cine El Rey on Friday, December 4, 2009 at 6:30 PM with hors d’oeuvres catered by España. Securing your ticket is easy. Come by the Pharr Oratory School System Corporate Office at 1407 W. Moore Rd. from 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM, or call 781.3056 Ext. 602 during the month of November.
There is a child in your community seeking an education where good moral values, high academic standards, and self-reliance, are taught in a safe Christian environment. Sponsor or attend “Arte En Vogue” and be a part of keeping one child from being turned away.
Alumni Wedding: September, 2009
Handley and Allen family and friends.
George Handley, seventh grade Math and Social Studies teacher, marries Oratory Schools alumni, Jessica Allen, sixth grade Math and Social Studies teacher and daughter of John and Ellen Allen of Weslaco, Texas. Priests from the Congregation of the Pharr Oratory of St. Philip Neri concelebrated the liturgy and wedding ceremony at Weslaco's St. Pius Church. Family, friends, and members of the Oratory Schools' staff and faculty were in attendance.
Above left: Jessica and George say their wedding vows. Above right: Fathers of the Pharr Oratory of St. Philip Neri concelebrate the Mass.
Alum Jessica Allen, Oratory Athenæum Valedictorian, 2005
We are proud to announce
That our daughter, Jessica Frances Allen,
Has graduated Summa Cum Laude
With a Bachelor of Science in Communication Disorders
From the University of Texas- Pan American
On May 9, 2009
We are proud to share her honors with you
Delta Zeta 2008 Top Academics Officer of Texas & New Mexico
Alpha Lambda Delta National Freshman Honor Society, officer
Gamma Sigma Alpha National Greek Honor Society, founding member
Golden Key International Honour Society
The Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi
The National Scholars Honor Society
Who’s Who Among Students in American Colleges & Universities
UTPA Student of the Week, May 11
UTPA Top Graduate of 2009
Student Commencement Speaker
She has also been accepted into the 2009 Teach for America corps,
Slated to teach secondary special education in the fall.
Please keep her in your prayers as she embarks on
This new journey in life.
John & Ellen Allen
Alumni: J. Allen
Hi Mrs. Perez!
I thought it was time to give you an update. As you know, I am a senior Communication Sciences and Disorders major, graduating this semester. Last Spring I was nominated by a special College of Health Science and Human Services committee to be a Who’s Who Among American Colleges and Universities recipient. I was recognized at the university’s annual awards ceremony and invited to UTPA President Cardenas’ home for a dinner reception she held in our honor.
In August, one of the UTPA Vice Presidents referred my name to the Teach for America recruitment. In the Fall, the Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders (COMD) hosted a reception and tour of the campus Speech and Hearing clinic for the top 20 COMD seniors, of which I am ranked first.
Currently, I am in the finishing stages of writing my undergraduate thesis, "A Multimodal Approach to Aphasia Therapy in the American Nursing Home." In October, I was invited to present it at the 2009 Texas Speech-Language & Hearing Association’s Convention in Austin. In November, I was formally accepted into the 2009 Teach for America corps and slated to teach secondary special education in the Rio Grande Valley.
In December, I was nominated by my chapter to be Delta Zeta Region XII’s Top Academic Officer of 2008 for having designed and implemented an academics program for 50 members based on metacognitive skills, learning style, and student accountability that raised cumulative chapter GPA a half-point in one semester & one-tenth point each for the following three semesters; for having created The Sophisticate, an e-newsletter for the chapter that covers a range of collegiate topics; and for having decreased number of members on academic probation from 32% to 6% in two years. The chapter also nominated me for the Rhea F. Schultz Award, an honor bestowed upon a senior who models the values of Delta Zeta Sorority and has contributed significantly to her chapter's development, growth, and achievement.
Just before Christmas, I became engaged to Mr. George William Handley III, a firefighter and new Oratorian elementary language arts teacher. He’s a recent graduate of UTPA with a degree in History, Political Science, and Communication.
Seniors 2008
Alumni, Hiram Vela, Rocks It Out!
Check out Ram, (in sunglasses), playing with rock band, "Weezer" at the University of Texas in Austin’s Irwin Center in front of 10,000 people. Who knows what's next?????
Alumni: Luis Kreimerman, Senior Class 2006
Luis Alberto Kreimerman, Class of 2006, stopped by the Oratory schools to visit his alma mater. Luis is a Jr. at UTPA studying International Business. He was impressed with the beautiful construction and the school's magnificent growth, not to mention state of the art computer lab and library. He fondly recalled the days when "the pavilion" served as the place for mass, lunch, indoor P.E. and after school play practice. Luis was happy to see the realization of the dream he had heard of time and again as a student; the joining of our two campuses.
Alumni: Marcy Cuevas, Senior Class 2002
Pictured above with Marcy are baby Christian and her husband Omar Rodriguez.
Jessica Allen - UTPA Student of the Week
See page on UTPA site.
Oratorian Alumni Album of Accomplishments (O-AAA)
Pharr Oratory School System alumni, Jessica Allen and Carina Cantú, join long time staff member Ellen Allen in finalizing the preparations for the annual gala and 25th anniversary celebration, “Noche de Alegría 2008”. This year’s gala was held at Corinthians Banquet & Reception Hall in Mission. Miss C. Cantú served as a member of the planning committee, and Miss J. Allen (daughter of E. Allen) initiated and displayed an album of former alumni and their accomplishments since graduating from the Oratory Schools. Mr. C. Maldonado, with daughter and alumni Linda Maldonado, can be seen previewing the Oratorian Alumni Album of Accomplishments (O-AAA).
Linda Maldonado, Athenæum Class of 2006
Linda Maldonado, Athenæum senior graduate, Class of 2006, has recently received the Dean's Honor Roll Certificate in recognition of her academic excellence from Texas A&M University. Her family and her Oratorian family, are proud of this accomplishment and pray that she will continue to let God's light shine through her. Congratulations Linda and God bless you!
Samantha Sanchez, Athenæum Class of 2003
The week before Christmas break, alumni Samantha Sanchez, (Class of 2003), paid a visit to our high school, the Athenæum. First, she visited the Corporate Office and announced her 2007 graduation from St. Edward’s University in Austin, Texas. She was eager to begin her new career and hoping to make a positive difference in the world.
I invited her to visit the new campus. On her tour, she came upon students (to include Santa and his helpers) and exchanged greetings and hugs. She also had warm encounters with former teachers, such as Nora Alvarado, Spanish Kinder Instructor; Albert Holder, English; Lilian Lastra, Science, Dora Rivera, Philosophy, and Monica Loya, Spanish.
As Seniors 2008 approached Samantha in the hallway, they invited her to please visit their Spanish class with Ms. Loya. The seniors were anxious to visit with her and ask some pertinent questions about college entrance and the university experience. Samantha was pleased to do so and before leaving exchanged e-mail and phone numbers with the students. (See poster photos.)
Congratulations Samantha on your graduation! May God continue to guide you and place you in His tender care. Thank you for thinking of us and keeping the Oratory Schools of St. Philip Neri in your thoughts and prayers.
See more photos.
Oratory Alumni at the October 20th Open House
Class of 2007
Texas A&M ArtFest 2007
Oratory Alumni Nicholas Garza, Class of 2006, was recently awarded first place in two divisions at an A&M campus wide Art contest. Artfest is open to all A&M students and Nick was awarded 1st place in his computer generated art titled, "Art and Sole" as well as 1st place in a model he constructed titled, "Space: Manipulated". He was the only freshman to place in the competition and the only student to receive two first places! Way to go Nick! Gig 'em!
Shattered Dreams
About Shattered Dreams
Jessica Allen
Jessica Allen presented the poem, Sick by Shel Silverstein in Sign Language at the February Barns and Noble Sign Language Story Time. Jessica is seen here with her professor, Mr. Keith Sibley, and classmates. She in her second year of Sign at the University of Texas at Pan Am. The Sign story time at Barns and Noble is the last Saturday of every month at 3:00 p.m.
Salomé Mancias
Salomé Mancías, class of 2007, was recently notified of her scholastic achievements that made her eligible for the National Honor Society at St. John's University, in New York. Congratulations Salomé, your Oratorian family is proud of you!
View full size letter.
Mr. and Mrs. Omar and Marcy Rodriguez
See more photos.
Defend Life
Linda Maldonado, Athenæum graduate of the Senior Class of 2006, is seen continuing her Pro-Life ministry as a university student. On Saturday, January 27, the Pro-Life organization of St. Mary's at Texas A & M, went to Austin, Texas for a rally. Congratulations to Linda (above, left) and her family for continuing to uphold the Catholic values she learned in her home and at the Oratory Schools. She is now one more "voice" defending the lives of those who have no "voice" to speak the words, "For the love of God, let me live!"
Congratulations to Vanessa and her Family!
The Oratory School System of St. Philip Neri, wishes to congratulate alumni and Athenæum graduate of 2006, Vanessa Guajardo, on her most recent accomplishment. The American Coed Pageant named her Miss Texas Coed Teen. The city of Edinburg, Texas, has also recognized her for her many outstanding accomplishments, honors received, and community service projects. Vanessa is currently a freshman in the Pre-Med Program at the University of Texas at Austin.
December 15, 2006
Karla Uvalle, a 6th grade graduate of the Oratory Academy, was married at St. Jude Thaddeus Church in Pharr, with a reception following at beautiful and historic Las Palmas Hotel, McAllen.
See more photos.
Alumni News Fall 2006
Miss Vanessa Guajardo, age 17, daughter of Mr. Alberto Guajardo and Mrs. Mirta Guajardo of McAllen, Texas has been selected to represent Texas as Miss Texas Teen at the 2006 National Miss American Teen Pageant to be held at the Hilton in the Walt Disney World Resort during the week of Thanksgiving, 2006.
Vanessa, a 2006 Oratory Athenæum graduate in Pharr, Texas, will be competing for more than $25,000 in cash awards, prizes, and scholarships. State winners and pageant finalists will compete in the 23rd annual national scholarship competition organized by American Coed Pageants, In., of Florida.
American Coed Pageants, Inc. annually holds state pageants for the purpose of recognizing and rewarding outstanding young women for their past and present accomplishments and to encourage them to set and achieve high goals for the future.
The Oratory School System, its students, parents, faculty, and staff, wish Vanessa the best and send their congratulations to Miss Vanessa Guajardo, alumni of the Oratory Schools, Pharr, Texas.
Miss Vanessa Guajardo is pictured above receiving her high school diploma and congratulations from Oratory School System President, G. Yvonne Pérez. This graduation ceremony was held at the University of Texas Pan American Media Center on May 30, 2006.
Oratory Alumni, Enrique Lastra and Angelo Peixoto, both attending UTPA, visit the Moore Rd. campus to greet friends and favorite teachers on the first day of classes, August 21. They are seen here with President of Oratory Schools, G. Yvonne Pérez.
Pre-Athenaeum Graduates
Standing left to right:
Jorge Sotelo, Carina Cantú, Delisa Guadarrama, Vanessa Alvarado, Marcy Mason and Erasmo Farias.Sitting left to right:
Alisa Farias, Chelsea Hook, Laura Pérez and Karla Uvalle.Congratulations Oratory Schools Alumni!
College graduates from our first high school graduating class are Daniel Díaz from St. Mary's of San Antonio and Marcy Cuevas from Our Lady of the Lake University in San Antonio.
Alberto Treviño and Franklin Ramon are set to graduate in May.
Class of 2002
Class of 2003
Class of 2004
