Student Life

Character Development

Our founders designed the mission of an all-girls school with elements that bring out the best in girls: personal mentoring, a faculty with excellence in content and delivery, virtue-based character education, a loving and practical instruction in the faith, and parent collaboration. This wise plan comes from a deep understanding of women and what they need in their formative years to gain the best foundation. 
Character Development is woven throughout our curriculum and program, but here are some essential aspects:
 

Portrait of an Oakcrest Graduate

Oakcrest recognizes the vocation of women as trustees of humanity* and provides a culture of freedom and responsibility in which young women thrive. The joy that comes from knowing she is a child of God impels our graduate to positively impact family and society through:

  • An understanding of faith and a commitment to personal friendship with God
  • Academic excellence that drives her to pursue lifelong learning
  • The ability to recognize and articulate truth, and the courage to stand by it
  • Self-knowledge that informs her growth in virtue
  • A love for beauty in the world, and a sense of responsibility to sustain and create it
  • Leadership and a spirit of collaboration that inspire her to serve
 * Saint John Paul II, Apostolic Letter, On the Dignity and Vocation of Women, n. 30

This personal, dynamic, integral education shapes a person who can go on to recognize the beauty and depth of each person because she has first been taught to discover this about herself. When you meet a young woman like this, you realize that she will be a tremendous gift to her university community because she has received this transformative educational experience and is poised to share its benefits with others. 

Grade Level Virtues

The cultivation of virtue is woven throughout our curriculum. Each grade focuses on specific virtues throughout the year. 

  • Sixth Grade: Order, Generosity of Heart, Attitude of Wonder 
  • Seventh Grade: Friendship, Kindness, Perseverance 
  • Eighth Grade: Reflection, Loyalty, Justice 
  • Ninth Grade: Self-Knowledge, Sporting Spirit, Fortitude 
  • Tenth Grade: Discernment, Empathy, Authenticity 
  • Eleventh Grade: Constancy, Gratitude, Prudence 
  • Twelfth Grade: Seeking Good Counsel, Patriotism, Courage 

Mentoring

The cornerstone of an Oakcrest education is our mentoring program. Mentors meet regularly one-on-one with students, and girls can seek them out for encouragement in academics, friendships, and service to others. Acting in partnership with the parents, the mentor guides each student as she works on her own personal growth. At Oakcrest students develop the lifelong habit of seeking good advice from the wisdom of others and working on personal goals for growth. Learn more about mentoring here. 
 

Service

Service lies at the heart of leadership and character education at Oakcrest. All girls fulfill a specified number of hours serving others in their homes and communities. Working with the student council, girls can initiate school-based service programs. The school community also comes together throughout the year to work on projects that assist people and programs in our local communities. Learn more about service at Oakcrest here. 

 

St. John Paul II, Apostolic Letter, Mulieris Dignitatem, n. 30

The moral and spiritual strength of a woman is joined to her awareness that God entrusts the human being to her in a special way. Of course, God entrusts every human being to each and every other human being. But this entrusting concerns women in a special way - precisely by reason of their femininity - and this in a particular way determines their vocation. 
1619 Crowell Road, Vienna, VA 22182
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