The Dominican Alumnae Award recognizes graduates who model the mission of Rosary High School and who live the truth (Veritas).

Through preaching with their lives, award winners use their gifts to further Christ’s teachings and are an inspiration to peers as well as students of Rosary High School.

We honored three alumnae in 2021. 

Sr. Catherine Mary Currie (‘70), O.P. was honored for Rosary Spirit. “Everywhere you go at Rosary, Sister Catherine Mary is lending a hand,” her nominator wrote. “Her Rosary spirit comes from her giving heart.”

Debbie (Grommes ‘70) Olson was recognized for Rosary Spirit. “Debbie has always held Rosary close to her heart...as a student, as alumnae director, and as the heart of her class,” her nominator wrote. “She continues to use her extraordinary sleuthing skills to help find alumnae.”

Gretchen (Feuerborn ‘93) Scheel was recognized for Service. “Gretchen is the most generous person I know,” her nominator wrote. “She works tirelessly to support her family, friends, church and Rosary.”

Read the full nominations below.

See a video of the award presentations that was shown as part of our 2021 Candlelight Ball.

Find out more about the awards and see a list of past winners at www.rosaryhs. com/awards. If you would like to nominate a Rosary graduate for an award, you’ll find a nomination form on the same page. Nominations for the 2022 Dominican Alumnae Awards are due February 1.

 

 

Sr. Catherine Mary is definitely the "Spirit of Rosary." From being the Rosary Alumnae Faculty Representative, to everything she does for Rosary. She helps set up events, cleans up, attends Rosary events, including sports events. Everywhere you go in Rosary, Sr. Catherine Mary is lending a hand. All on her own free time. Her Rosary spirit comes from her giving heart. God bless her.

Debbie (Grommes ‘70) Olson

Since she was a Rosary student, Debbie has had a heart for Rosary, always spreading the good word about the school and singing its praises to area families and young women. When she joined Rosary as Alumnae Director in 2005, she used her event planning, people, and computer skills to organize alumnae events, build personal relationships, and track down contact information for decades of alumnae. Debbie continued to be the heart of her Class of 1970, organizing reunions (including a Medicare reunion the year they all turned 65!) and encouraging them to support the Sister Mary Joseph Scholarship with their time, talent and treasure. Today, Debbie continues to assist Rosary in locating alumnae and by providing obituary information for alumnae and their family members. Her extraordinary sleuthing skills have been so beneficial. She also helps with recruitment by sharing promotional opportunities. Debbie is always looking to help Rosary and we hold her in the highest esteem.

Gretchen is the most generous person I know. She works tirelessly to support her family, friends, church and Rosary. She is the most dedicated and supportive mom and wife around. She supports her kids with all of their many, many extra-curricular activities and leads by example. Gretchen is a pre-school teacher and called worker at St. John's Lutheran Church in Wheaton. She is devoted to her students, their families, and to St. John's Church. She runs the Sunday School classes- finding volunteer teachers, setting up for each Sunday, and creates the most amazing props for the pastor at St. John to use for his sermons. She often coordinates the babysitting services there, many times acting as babysitter herself. Gretchen often single-handedly orchestrates the events at St. John's Church. She is involved in so many ways at St. John's.

Gretchen is an inspiration to everyone who knows her. She is a huge fan of Rosary High School and is the President of the Fine Arts Board at Rosary. She has spent countless hours creating, sewing, and finding costumes and props for the Rosary musicals and plays. She has volunteered many, many hours to coordinate concessions, fundraise, and enrich the arts programs for Rosary. I am certain that she does far more than this for Rosary and St. John's, that I am not even aware of, she is a very humble person and would never think of looking for praise for all that she does. In addition, Gretchen is one of the nicest people you will ever meet. She would literally give you the coat off her back, if you needed it! Gretchen is a dynamo and will give of herself until she is running on empty. She puts all others before herself.