DSHA Annual Report | 2024-25 Academic Year

DIVINE SAVIOR HOLY ANGELS

HIGH SCHOOL

OUR MISSION

Divine Savior Holy Angels High School is a Catholic, college-preparatory high school for young women that excels at developing the whole person. Sponsored by the Sisters of the Divine Savior and grounded in their mission to make known the goodness and kindness of Jesus Christ, we develop our students into capable young women of faith, heart, and intellect who accept the gospel call to live lives that will make a difference.

OUR VISION

DSHA will be: recognized as the premier choice for a girl seeking to grow into her full potential as a woman of faith, heart, and intellect.

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

2024-25 Academic Year

Executive Committee

Maureen Carney Goetz, DSHA ’96 | Chair* 2024-25 Colliers

Nicole Renouard | Vice-Chair 2024-25; Chair 2025-26 Quarles & Brady LLP

Ann Pieper Eisenbrown | Vice Chair 2025-26 Pieper Properties

Kathleen Cepelka, PhD | Secretary Retired, Archdiocese of Milwaukee

Jacquie Fossett | Treasurer* 2024-25

QBE North America

Steve Hartzheim | Treasurer 2025-26 Rockwell Automation

S. Grace Mary Croft, SDS, DS ’56 | Sponsorship Coordinator

Sisters of the Divine Savior

Frank Probst | Sponsorship Coordinator Sisters of the Divine Savior

Katie Brown Konieczny, DSHA ’92 | President and Ex-Officio

Divine Savior Holy Angels High School

Members

Juan Banda | Froedtert Hospital Froedtert Health

Heather Mehring Grams, DSHA ’97 | Next Door Milwaukee

Barbara Henderson, JD* | Community Volunteer

Brigitte Hyler Richerson | Advocate Aurora Health

Molly Hegarty Kanter, JD* | State of Wisconsin –Department of Workforce Development

Mary Ellen Krueger | Aspiriant

Aaron Lipski | City of Milwaukee Fire Department

Arlisia McHenry | Consultant, City of Milwaukee

Brian Merdes | Rockwell Automation

Derek Mosley, JD | Marquette University Law School

S. Carol Thresher, SDS, DS ’59*U | Sisters of the Divine Savior

John Wimmer | Wimmer Communities

*completed term in the 2024-25 school year

New Board of Directors for the 2025-26 School Year

Dr. Krisha Ropella | Marquette University

Adam Keller | Keller Group

Chris Calvelli | ECAB Investment Group

Dear DSHA Community,

With each school year that passes, we are grateful for the support to continue educating our young women of faith, heart, and intellect. The scriptural theme for the 2024-25 school year came from 1 Corinthians 12:25: “May there be no division in the body, but that the parts may have the same concern for one another.” As two graduates from the 1990s, we are immensely thankful that you, the DSHA community, has shown care for our school and students.

We are thankful for the abundance of our DSHA Annual Fund, which contributes to the rigorous academics, faith-formation opportunities, athletics, fine arts activities, and more, that allow our Dashers to grow inside and outside the classroom as confident and capable young women supported by the all-girls environment. We are proud of the growth of our scholarship program and endowment, which ensures every qualified young woman has the opportunity to attend DSHA and enroll the strongest student body possible. We are overwhelmed by the continuous growth of our capital campaign: Forward in Faith: Elevating Empowered Young Women, a multi-milliondollar investment that will renovate spaces for 21st-century learning, expand our STEM facilities to meet the growing interest of our students, upgrade our current athletic facilities, and more.

As our Dashers grow into confident and capable young women, none of this would be possible without you and the care you have shown for us this year and beyond. Your support makes a difference in the lives of young women.

We look forward to continuing to care for one another this upcoming school year. With deepest gratitude,

Scan to learn more about the Forward in Faith: Elevating Empowered Young Women campaign and view renderings. Updated athletic fields and parking expansion

STEM facilities expansion CARING FOR

Expenses

2024-2025 FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

2024-2025 Donor Contributions

($175,223 of the amount was from Stop-the-Auction)

$198,038 (excludes Capital Campaign of $703,714)

THANK YOU, 2023-24 DONORS!

Scan here to view a comprehensive list of donors who gave financially to DSHA during the 2024-25 fiscal year (between July 1, 2024 – June 30, 2025).

Thousands of you give generously to DSHA — and this year, gifts added up to more than $2.8 million! These gifts are vital to both maintaining our mission and growing as an institution — one that offers the opportunity of a lifetime to the young women of Milwaukee. Together, each of you help develop these young women in faith, heart, and intellect. Your gifts are transforming their lives.

Lifetime Giving

Gifts to DSHA are vital to both maintaining our mission and growing as an institution. Below you will find a list of donors who have given over $1,000,000 in their lifetime to DSHA to help us develop young women of faith, heart, and intellect.

Anonymous

Christopher Doerr

Charles DuBois

Leslie DuBois

Andrew and Janice+ Fleckenstein

Richard+ and Florence+ Merten Fridl, HA ’45

Michael and Nancy Hansen

Robert+ and Marie+ Hansen, HA ’43

I choose to give back to DSHA because the school was a significant part of my own, my mother’s, and my daughter’s spiritual and academic education. I hope and pray the school continues to stay rooted in faith and provide the same opportunities to my future granddaughters and other young women in Milwaukee.

MARY WISNIEWSKI, DSHA ’85

Jeremiah and Dolly Hegarty

Sarah Margaret Hegarty Foundation, Inc.

Judith Keyes, DS ’58

Dean and Mary Klinger

Chris McDermott, DSHA ’76, and John McDermott

Betty Ewens Quadracci, HA ’57+

The Windhover Foundation

Thomas and Mary Wisniewski, DSHA ’85

“ ” “ ” “ ”

My professional journey has taught me to understand the profound value of great leaders, supportive mentors, and true friends, and we know all of those things to be present and positively shaping the girls every day at DSHA. We believe the mission sets a foundation of confidence, self-advocacy, and success to which all girls should have access. Investing in our girls today is the best way to grow the next generation of great leaders for our community and beyond!

CURRENT PARENT LORI RICHARDS + FAMILY

Why do you choose to give back to DSHA?

I give back to provide the same educational opportunity to other young women that I received through the financial assistance from generous donors.

Why is it important to you to invest in this Catholic, college-prep, all-girls education?

Whole person education that fosters independent, critical thinkers in a safe environment that allows girls to be confident in their skin is the key to success. Investing in education to better our community, country, and world just makes sense.

As an alumna, why does the mission of DSHA (to develop young women of faith, heart, and intellect) resonate with you?

Women are the future leaders of this world and DSHA’s mission, embodying cura personalis, gives young women the tools to do just that. I am proud to be an alumna of a school that looks beyond the four years girls spend inside its walls and instead sets them up for success for the rest of their lives.

MELISSA JONARDI JACOBS, DSHA ‘12

THE LAZYNSKI – MORRIS

ENDOWMENT FUND

DSHA is committed to offering need-based and merit-based scholarships that provide an outstanding college-prep, Catholic education to qualified students regardless of a family’s financial circumstances. Additionally, it allows for the enrollment of the strongest student body possible—a diverse group of young women with different gifts, perspectives, and life experiences. Scholarships are either endowed or non-endowed. Endowed scholarships provide permanent, perennial support for the type of student identified by the particular donor. Non-endowed scholarships are one-time gifts that support the type of student identified by the donor for immediate use.

Scholarships allow for the enrollment of the strongest student body possible.

Established by Jane Lazynski, DS ’65, in 2004, the Lazynski – Morris Endowment Fund provides financial support to the Marian Scholars Program. The program, founded in 2020, is a student-centered, inclusive education program for students with intellectual and developmental disabilities. The inception of the program was rooted in the spirit of inclusivity, and inspired by the Blessed Mary of the Apostles, founder of our sponsoring order the Sisters of the Divine Savior, to promote the goodness and kindness of Jesus Christ. It supports the belief that all students deserve opportunities to maximize their academic, social, and spiritual potential. Scholars in the program participate in all aspects of the DSHA community, and take a variety of classes in the general education setting.

To further integrate them into the community, the scholars are paired with DSHA peer mentor students who help them engage in class, implement curriculum modifications, and lend other support as needed. In the 2024-25 school year, there were nine Marian Scholar students, and 90 peer mentors. Since 2020, four have graduated with a DSHA Certificate of Completion.

The Lazynski – Morris Endowment Fund includes, but is not limited to, supporting the program’s annual operating budget, activities involving the Marian Scholars and/or Marian Scholar Peer Mentors, or resources required to ensure the continued function of the Marian Scholars Program.

Scan here to learn more about the DSHA Marian Scholars Program.

THE DSHA QUALITIES OF A GRADUATE

Woman of Faith | Self-Advocate Critical Thinker | Communicator | Leader

She is a Woman of Faith.

51 MASSES OFFERED

“Attending all-school Masses and Thankful Thursday Masses have allowed me to connect with God in a deeper way through the strong and diverse faith community at DSHA. DSHA has given me the chance to fully embrace my faith and find a community that honors the faith of others as well.”

TAHLIA MELENDES, DSHA ’27

6 UNIQUE RETREATS OFFERED

The DSHA Campus Ministry team provided six unique retreat experiences that each provide a safe place for young women to explore and ignite their individual faith while connecting with classmates through shared experiences: all tailor-made for the teenage girl, grounded in scripture, and based on a model of peer-ministry.

24,354 TOTAL STUDENT SERVICE HOURS

“Service has been one of my greatest passions since I’ve been at DSHA. I’m so grateful for all the opportunities I’ve had. I love stepping into different communities and forming real connections with the people I serve. When I reflect on these experiences, I realize that it’s often those who are struggling the most who carry the brightest light within them.”

MIRELLA ALTORO, DSHA ’26

THE DSHA QUALITIES OF A GRADUATE

Woman of Faith | Self-Advocate

Critical Thinker | Communicator | Leader

She is a Self-Advocate.

“Throughout the last four years, I have grown as a self-advocate because of the supportive community at DSHA that helped me become comfortable, and then confident, communicating my thoughts and needs. Serving as a Campus Ministry Officer, I helped organize many important projects and events. In order to make these positive experiences for all students, I learned it was important to communicate what I needed during the process and ask for help when needed.”

HARPER NELDNER, DSHA ’25

“I believe that being involved in many activities at DSHA, including Furia Latina [co-curricular] and Campus Ministry, have helped me grow as a self-advocate because these experiences have provided opportunities to voice my thoughts and opinions in a supportive environment. Participating in Furia Latina has allowed me to celebrate and share my cultural identity, fostering my confidence in expressing who I am. Meanwhile, Campus Ministry has encouraged me to reflect on my values and beliefs, empowering me to advocate for causes that matter to me. Overall, these activities have helped me develop skills to achieve my goals by allowing me to connect with others and take initiative.”

ANGELINE ORTIZ MIRELES, DSHA ’26

“I’ve grown as a self-advocate through classes with Mr. Demeter [Social Studies Faculty Dan Demeter]. He ensures students are constantly getting involved in group projects and encourages us to take initiative. He also involves us with Future Dasher programs such as the Middle School Leadership Conference, providing a chance to improve and showcase our leadership skills. He always makes sure students are becoming problem-solvers.”

MADELINE HODGES, DSHA ’26

She is a Critical Thinker.

2 NATIONAL MERIT SCHOLARS

“I feel very prepared for college.”

ANNA O’BRIEN, DSHA ’25, NATIONAL MERIT SCHOLAR FINALIST

“DSHA’s college-prep academics have prepared me for college. Most of my classes are fast-paced, and teachers truly hold high expectations of each student here while making sure that we are supported to reach those expectations. Though it takes hard work to succeed in college-prep courses, I really feel as though I have the tools to thrive in each of my classes.”

DELANEY SCOTT, DSHA ’25, NATIONAL MERIT SCHOLAR FINALIST

#1 CATHOLIC HIGH SCHOOL FOR STEM IN THE MILWAUKEE AREA IN THE 2024-25 SCHOOL YEAR

Niche.com, a school-ranking website, named DSHA as the premier Catholic high school for Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics education, as well as receiving an overall A+ rating, distinguishing the school as a leader among rankings.

87% SCORED THREE OR HIGHER ON THEIR AP EXAMS

In May 2025, 339 DSHA students took 552 AP Exams across 16 courses. According to the College Board’s AP Score Reports (July 2025), 87% of Dashers scored 3 or higher on these exams. AP Exam “success rate” is a score of 3 or higher, the score needed to be considered for college credit.

THE DSHA QUALITIES OF A

GRADUATE

Woman of Faith | Self-Advocate

Critical Thinker | Communicator | Leader

She is a Communicator.

96 STUDENTS PRESENTED TO THEIR PEERS

Throughout the 2024-25 school year, 96 Dashers led the entire student body in a school-wide public setting, whether at pep rallies, all-school Masses, assemblies, or other opportunities.

1 STUDENT SPOKE TO TEMPO

Gracie Olejniczak, DSHA ’25, addressed TEMPO, Wisconsin’s largest professional group for women, during its annual meeting to discuss DSHA and the impact of the all-girls environment.

“The all-girls environment at Divine Savior Holy Angels encourages us to use our voices, to speak up in class, to challenge and ask questions, and to support differing opinions. I remember my years in grade school, being nervous to raise my hand or get a question wrong. But after a few weeks of my freshman year of high school, I realized DSHA was a place I could be the leader and communicator I always wanted to be. DSHA made me believe it was possible.”

GRACIE OLEJNICZAK, DSHA ’25

4 CO-CURRICULAR QUALIFIED TO PRESENT ON A NATIONAL SCALE

Scan here to view the full speech.

As part of the deliberate and successful commitment to the development of the whole person— intellectual, spiritual, physical, emotional, and social during the high school years—co-curriculars are an integral part of the DSHA experience, with opportunities built into the school day to explore passions and interests. This school year, multiple co-curriculars presented on the national stage, including the SMART Team (Students Modeling a Research Project), the DSHA/ MUHS Hilltopper Robotics Team, Forensics, and the Latin Convention co-curricular.

139 STUDENTS HELD CAMPUS MINISTRY LEADERSHIP POSITIONS

19 STUDENTS RECEIVED ALL-STATE RECOGNITION IN FINE ARTS

In the 2024-25 school year, two students received Gold Key Awards, a state fine arts recognition where students are honored for their original artwork. At the Wisconsin School Music Association (WSMA) Ensemble, ten instrumentalists and seven vocalists received first ratings, signifying the highest caliber performances.

“Participating in WSMA over the last few years has pushed me out of my comfort zone and to find the confidence needed to become a true leader in the Angelaires. I have come to enjoy the exhilaration that accompanies having to perform in front of a judge. It has truly enhanced my performance skills, and made me a better performer, and overall leader.”

ANNA PIENKOS, DSHA ’25

4 STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS IN GOLF, VOLLEYBALL, RUGBY, AND DIVING

1 STATE RUNNER-UP IN FIELD HOCKEY

Divine Savior Holy Angels High School

Sponsored by the Sisters of Divine Savior 4257 North 100th Street, Milwaukee WI 53222

Est. 1892 | All Girls Makes All the Difference dsha.info