November 2024

Dear Dragon Community,

As we gather with loved ones to celebrate this season of Thanksgiving, I find myself deeply grateful for the incredible community we share at O’Dowd. Every November we come together for our Transforming Lives Dinner, raising funds to ensure that 30% of our students have a financial bridge to the power of an O’Dowd education. Our commitment, which comes to over $4M annually in tuition assistance, demonstrates the generosity and faith of our community, and I could not be more thankful. 

Reflecting on gratitude, our students at the Transforming Lives Dinner spoke powerfully about O’Dowd’s commitment to community service, a value firmly rooted in the Catholic faith. This year, in partnership with over 150 local non-profit organizations, O’Dowd students will have collectively given 36,000 service hours to stand with those most marginalized and make a difference for our Bay Area community. Their actions embody the very spirit of Thanksgiving. 

There is always so much to be grateful for at O’Dowd. Read on for more stories about how our students, alumni, and faculty continue to build a more beautiful world. 

May this season bring you peace, joy, and countless reasons to be thankful. We are so blessed to have each of you in our Dragon family. 

Wishing you and your loved ones a wonderful Thanksgiving.

With gratitude and warmest wishes,

Kim Walsh,

President, Bishop O’Dowd High School

FALL SIGNING DAY

Congratulations to the following Dragons for their official commitment to continue their academic and athletic excellence at the collegiate level!

Madison Gordon ’25 - Basketball - Tulane University

Rashad Hayes ’25 - Baseball - Stanford University

Koff’ye Chappel ’25 - Soccer - Concordia University, Wisconsin

Lucy Yu ’25 - Lacrosse - Cornell University

Sydney Silva ’25 - Golf - University of Arizona

Deji Ajose ’25 - Football - University of Washington

FALL PLAY DELIGHTS CROWDS OF ALL AGES

O’Dowd’s fall production of The Play That Goes Wrong brings slapstick comedy to life with energy and charm, capturing the spirit of this internationally celebrated show. Originally written by Henry Lewis, Jonathan Sayer, and Henry Shields, the play follows a fictional drama troupe as they attempt to stage a 1920s murder mystery - only for things to spiral hilariously out of control. Read our student review “The Play That Goes Wrong Does Theatre Right” by Crozier Editors Pheobe Aldrich ’25 and Isabella Nasif ’25.

HARVEST FESTIVAL

Our Creation Care Team and Eco Leaders hosted our annual Harvest Festival in the Living Lab and Center for Environmental Studies, with O'Dowd bands and orchestra playing music for everyone to enjoy, and activities ranging from a petting zoo to face painting. It was a great afternoon!

SOLIDARITY IN ACTION PARTICIPATED IN IGNATIAN FAMILY TEACH-IN

Solidarity in Action, one of our advanced leadership groups, recently traveled to Washington, D.C. for the Ignatian Family Teach-In for Justice. Our students heard from leading social justice scholars and participated in breakout sessions focused on various social justice topics. On the final day of the event, the group traveled to the US Capitol and met with elected officials to discuss the social justice topics that matter most to them.

NICOLE COBER ’89 was on Good Morning America where she spoke about her company, The BOW Collective, which helps Black women entrepreneurs grow their businesses through mentorship and shared resources. 

MICHELE KENNEDY ’97 in her 15-year career as a vocalist has performed with prestigious ensembles across America, including Opera Philadelphia, the Boston Symphony at Tanglewood, and the San Francisco Bach Choir. In 2023 she was awarded the American Prize in Vocal Performance.

SEAN FIENBERG ’20 is currently in the Peace Corps in Namibia Africa. He is a volunteer in the economic empowerment project.

November

29-30 Thanksgiving Basketball Showcase, Knauss Gym - Purchase Tickets

29 Boys Basketball Alumni Game, Knauss Gym (10:30am)

30 Water Polo Alumni Games at Trefethen Aquatic Center (12:00 - 2:00pm)

December

26 Boys Soccer Alumni Game (10:00am)

February

5 Alumni Happy Hour (4:30-7:00pm)

May

3 Alumni Reunion (2:00-7:00pm)

CREATE YOUR PATH - FALL/WINTER EDITION OF THE DRAGON MAGAZINE

Our most recent issue of O’Dowd’s biannual Dragon Magazine arrived in mailboxes last month. Check out this issue for stories about our on-campus Confirmation program, college counseling support, and student involvement in theater tech. Read the magazine!