School Crest

Oak Tree

Historically, the oak was the shared symbol of the chief deity worshipped by all of the main branches of the aryan stock in Europe before Christianity. The oak was a symbol of health, prosperity and wealth, and the oak branch signified wisdom. During the Christian era, the meaning of the oak changed to symbolize Jesus Christ or the Virgin Mary, and was considered to be one of the trees from which the Cross may have been made. The high durability of the oak as hardwood also led to the oak becoming the Christian symbol of faithfulness, strength of virtue, endurance, and Christian steadfastness in the face of adversity and persecution. The image of a tree represents growth. Crescite, the Latin word for “grow,” inspired the longstanding name of the Oakcrest yearbooks, Crescens.

Rose

The rose often appears below the symbol of Opus Dei, a Prelature of the Catholic Church founded by St. Josemaría Escríva. Its mission is to spread the universal call to holiness through the sanctification of daily work and of the circumstances and events of ordinary life. This spirituality underlies the mission and philosophy of Oakcrest. In Christian symbolism and medieval heraldry, the rose symbolizes Our Lady — the guide, role model and advocate for the students, faculty and staff of Oakcrest. A white rose signifies purity, and a pink rose symbolizes Christian joy. Both colors of roses are used in various versions of the Oakcrest crest. The rose is also a symbol of fruitfulness, femininity, love and beauty, and the five wounds of Christ.

Roots

The deep and widespread roots of the oak in the Oakcrest crest signify the firm foundation of faith, character and academic knowledge fostered by an Oakcrest education.

Green & White

In Christian symbolism and medieval heraldry, green signifies abundance, prosperity, life and hope. White symbolizes truth and purity. Together, they symbolize the joyful and fruitful life of the virtuous Christian who seeks to know and glorify God, Truth itself, in all things.
 

School Motto

Virtus, the Latin word for virtue, indicates the school’s commitment to foster the development of Christian virtues, character and faith in our students. Veritas, the Latin word for truth, denotes Oakcrest’s dedication to academic scholarship and to the search for truth and knowledge. It also symbolizes love of God, who is Truth itself. Taken together as virtus et veritas, the two terms take on the additional meaning of faith and reason, signifying the importance of both knowing and following the truth, of knowledge plus action, in living a full, Christian life ordered toward our ultimate human fulfillment as children of God.
1619 Crowell Road, Vienna, VA 22182
703-790-5450