Anna '24 and Louise '24

For Anna ‘24 and Louise ‘24 G., Oakcrest has been home for many years.  Even when their family moved to Germany when they were in eighth grade, the twin sisters were eager to return for high school.

“I chose Oakcrest because I loved the all-girls student body and the all-female faculty,” Anna explains. “I also loved that Oakcrest had a chapel and offered daily Mass.” 

Louise agrees, adding that their love for Oakcrest began when their mother heard Head of School Dr. Mary T. Ortiz speak about the school, and then come home to share with her daughters. One of Louise’s favorite parts of the school day at Oakcrest is daily Mass. “It is a great opportunity to take a break from learning and reset,” she says. 

Some of Anna’s favorite parts of a typical day at Oakcrest include eating lunch outside with her friends, regardless of the weather, and weekly breakfasts with her classmates in the middle of the week. 

“I have absolutely loved all of the classes I have taken at Oakcrest, but my most memorable class has been my seventh grade theology class, taught by Mrs. Bonnie Hanssen,” Anna explains. “She told us so many incredible stories about her life that I remember to this day, and I have learned so much from her.” 

For Louise, one most memorable Oakcrest class was European History with Ms. Christine Nussio. “This was my first European history class and it was extremely interesting,” she says. “Ms. Nussio was a great teacher and made the class super fun.” 

The twins are involved in many sports and activities at Oakcrest. Anna and Louise are co-captains on the Varsity softball team this year. In the fall, Anna plays volleyball and Louise plays tennis and is on the Swim & Dive team in the winter. Anna helps run the Service Initiative Project “Buttons and Bows,” which runs projects throughout the year to make handmade gifts for those in the community. Anna adds that the different leadership positions she has held have taught her how to take responsibility and learn to communicate with others. 

Louise says that she loves the sports that Oakcrest offers because they have allowed her to foster friendships with girls in other grades, and offer countless opportunities to learn how to be a team player. 

The two both share a favorite Oakcrest memory - the junior class retreat to Longlea Conference Center in the fall. Louise remembers it as a great bonding experience for their grade, and Anna recalls how despite bus problems on the ride home, everyone had a great time playing games and laughing through it all. 

Both girls are often called upon to play their instruments, Louise the cello and Anna the violin, for signature events such as the Oakcrest Annual Auction and Gala or various ceremonies throughout the year. Louise is the cello section leader in the Upper School Orchestra and Anna is the orchestra’s concertmaster. 

Looking at what aspect of Oakcrest means the most to her, Anna says that she deeply appreciates the teachers’ willingness to care for the individual needs of each student. “They are always rooting for us to do well, and genuinely want us to succeed,” she said. “I also love that Oakcrest assigns each student a mentor, because it is such a fun opportunity to talk to someone who can give such good advice and it is such a great way to reset each month.”