A digital rendering of Emma Rosato’s environmentally friendly home. 9 forward to do a website.” Shook also knew she wanted to make her presentation interactive, so in addition to her website, she will have a pop-up shop on Capstone Day to display her clothing and jewelry. Mary Grace Schreiber ’23 published a book called God at the Center: A Catholic devotional for teens about how to live life with God at the center of all they think, do, and say. This Legacy project was especially meaningful as it was inspired by Mary Grace’s own struggles with stress and anxiety. At its peak during her junior year, Mary Grace said, “I knew I needed to do something, I couldn’t keep living like that. I did everything I possibly could in terms of turning to God. I was reading devotionals and reflections every day, I was studying scripture, I was praying so much and it definitely helped me. Surrounding and consuming myself with these ideas that God is always there for us and He will help us and that we can cast our anxieties on Him really made me believe it.” Not only did it change her life, but Mary Grace began to wonder if she could help other people in the same way. “My grandmother was my faith role model throughout my whole life. When she passed away, I inherited a bunch of devotionals from her and after reading them, I wondered if I could write one.”That’s exactly what Mary Grace did. In fact, she wrote 75 devotions. After enlisting the help of her trusted peers and faculty members in the editing process, Mary Grace compiled her devotions and self-published her very own book. She has since presented the book to Mr. Mesue’s Theology classes, unveiled her book to the entire school at a Monday Morning Kumbaya, and will present a physical copy of the book on Capstone Day. When asked what she believes her legacy is here at AQ, Mary Grace said, “To quote Mr. Mesue, even in 100 years when we’re gone, the book will still be here, hopefully helping and inspiring others.” Emma Rosato ’23 combined what she learned while writing her junior research paper on climate change with her interest in architectural engineering to design an environmentally friendly home for her Legacy project. She also created a model of that home to show during Capstone Day. “My design includes a flat roof with a slight incline to get the rain water off for vegetation, a roof garden, a water collection system, geothermal heating and solar panels, large windows for natural light, LED task lighting, and a balcony for recreation and plant growing,” said Emma, who used sustainably built homes from around the country and around the world for inspiration. “The Legacy project as a whole was helpful because it reaffirmed that this is something I like doing,” said Emma. “This has helped me see what my future might look like and I really think I’m going to like it.” As far as her Legacy, Emma hopes to raise more awareness on how we can all help the environment. Ashley Gionta ’06, Capstone Coordinator and science department chair said, “I am so proud of what our seniors have accomplished and have been able to demonstrate through their final Capstone Legacy projects. As you can see, each idea is uniquely theirs. They’ve worked incredibly hard to prove that they have grown through the Basilian motto of Goodness, Discipline and Knowledge, and truly exemplify the Profile of an Aquinas Graduate.” Sarah Kretchmer’s ‘22 Legacy project explores how genetics impact an athlete’s success in sports. Peter McAuliffe ‘22 presents, The Nature of Sound Waves and Acoustics. How Blue Light Affects Physical and Mental Health, by Erin Heh ‘22. Angelina Sanchez ‘22 creates a crime scene for her Legacy project on forensic science.
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