Joan of Arc Scholars

Within Oakland Catholic reside many students of significantly high caliber. They adapt readily to our scholarly methods and pursue their studies enthusiastically. Motivated far beyond a simple desire to achieve, they exhibit a zeal for knowledge that propels them toward an interdisciplinary approach as they grapple with research topics, contemporary issues, and the drive of their own intellect.

These students have existed at Oakland Catholic since its conception, but they have not always been publicly recognized for their outstanding achievements and unfaltering quest for knowledge.

Although the National Honor Society, various accolades, and many prestigious universities recognized the talent of these students, there was no formal program at our school that officially acknowledged them as a group of students who entered Oakland Catholic from the start with a purposeful intent to hone their intellects. The Joan of Arc Society of Scholars was conceived to respond to the needs of these students and to assist them in their academic journey.

JOA Director

Ms. Alessandra Pazzaglia

A Call to Greatness

The Scholars Program at Oakland Catholic is named in honor of the school's patron saint, Joan of Arc, who was called as a very young woman to demonstrate strength through faith, courage, and intelligence. She was called to greatness and answered that call in the face of adversity and controversy.

JOA Scholars have also been called to greatness.

In the midst of a rigorous academic program, research that may lead to more questions than answers, and a society where ethical issues are brought to the forefront on a continual basis, JOA Scholars are grounded in the underlying Christian concept that we are obligated to give back in proportion to what we have received.

The scholars at Oakland Catholic are guided to use their gift of intelligence for the greater good via annual interviews with the program's director, opportunities to explore other cultures through performances and local presentations, and the school's overriding atmosphere where service is the standard.

Benefits of JOA Membership

Official recognition of your high level of motivation and academic ability.
Participation in the summer seminars and educational venues designed to complement and enhance your academic experience during the school year.
Opportunity to interact with other academically talented students.
Supervision and academic advisement provided by the Director of the Scholars Program in addition to the counsel of the school's Guidance Department.
Upon graduation, if you remain in the program all four years, an official letter will be sent with your transcript stating the fact that you were invited to participate in the program and that you successfully completed the program by adhering to the above criteria. This letter will carry the school's official seal. A note on your transcript will also mark your participation in the Scholars Program as a distinctive honor.

Requirements

Program Criteria for Invitation

Initial consideration for the Joan of Arc Society of Scholars (JOA) will be based on a composite score of 90% or higher on the Oakland Catholic Scholarship Exam or a composite score of 95% or higher on an elementary school national standardized exam such as the IOWA or TerraNova. All candidates must exhibit a strong grade school academic record and be recommended and registered for Honors courses across the core curriculum (English, Math, Social Studies, and Science). All candidates must exhibit a strong grade school academic record and be recommended and registered for honors courses across the core curriculum.

The first round of invitations will be mailed soon after acceptance packages during a candidate’s 8th grade year. If a candidate wishes to accept the invitation, she must respond via email to the program director.
A second and final round of invitations will be issued to those students who, upon completion of their first year at Oakland Catholic, maintained a weighted GPA of 4.4 or higher while enrolled in all honors courses. These students must also respond via email to the Director with their acceptance of the invitation.

Requirements by Class

Freshman

Participation in a summer seminar prior to each year of study at Oakland Catholic.
Maintenance of a minimum of 7 credits each academic year with core courses taken at the honors level or higher.
Completion of a minimum of 16 credits in Honors, College-Equivalency, or Advanced Placement (A.P.) level courses by the end of senior year.
Minimum of three consecutive years of the same foreign language at Oakland Catholic.
Minimum of 3 science credits in biology, chemistry, and physics by the end of senior year.
Agreement to meet with the Director of the Scholars Program as deemed necessary by the director.
Annual attendance at 4 “JOA Events”, 1 per quarter, all pertaining to an event of an intellectual nature (Director has final say on which events qualify)
Maintenance of a minimum 4.4 overall cumulative weighted GPA (QPA) at the end of freshman year, with no final grade lower than a “B”.

*Students are encouraged to take the highest level offered in each course when possible to help ensure they meet the GPA requirements as well as continue to challenge themselves with a rigorous schedule.

Sophomores

Participation in a summer seminar prior to each year of study at Oakland Catholic High School.
Maintenance of a minimum of 7 credits each academic year with core courses taken at the honors level or higher.
Completion of a minimum of 16 credits in Honors, CE, or AP level courses by the end of senior year.
Minimum of three consecutive years of the same foreign language at Oakland Catholic at the honors level, when possible.
Minimum of 3 science credits in biology, chemistry, and physics by the end of senior year.
Agreement to meet with the Director of the Scholars Program as deemed necessary by the director.
Annual attendance at 4 “JOA Events”, 1 per quarter, all pertaining to an event of an intellectual nature (Director has final say on which events qualify)
Maintenance of a minimum 4.5 overall cumulative weighted GPA (QPA) at the end of sophomore year, with no final grade lower than a 'B'.

*Cumulative means cumulative over all years. i.e. the 4.5 minimum at the end of sophomore year covers both freshman and sophomore year grades.

Juniors

Participation in a summer seminar prior to each year of study at Oakland Catholic High School.
Maintenance of a minimum of 7 credits each academic year with core courses taken at the honors level or higher.
Completion of a minimum of 16 credits in Honors, CE, or AP level courses by the end of senior year.
Minimum of three consecutive years of the same foreign language at Oakland Catholic at the honors level, when possible.
Minimum of 3 science credits in biology, chemistry, and physics by the end of senior year.
Agreement to meet with the Director of the Scholars Program as deemed necessary by the director.
Annual attendance at 4 “JOA Events”, 1 per quarter, all pertaining to an event of an intellectual nature (Director has final say on which events qualify)
Maintenance of a minimum 4.6 overall cumulative weighted GPA (QPA) at the end of junior year, with no final grade lower than a “B”.

*Cumulative means cumulative over all years. i.e. the 4.6 minimum at the end of sophomore year covers freshman, sophomore and junior year grades.

Seniors

Participation in a summer seminar prior to each year of study at Oakland Catholic High School.
Maintenance of 7 credits if taking less than 4 CE/AP courses with core courses taken at the honors level or higher. Students may take 6.5 credits if they take 4 or more CE/AP courses with core courses taken at the honors level or higher.
Completion of a minimum of 16 credits in Honors, CE, or AP level courses by the end of senior year.
Minimum of three consecutive years of the same foreign language at Oakland Catholic at the honors level, when possible (a 4th year heavily encouraged!)
Minimum of 3 science credits in biology, chemistry, and physics by the end of senior year.
English must be taken as 1 full credit at the Honors level at minimum, CE or AP preferred.
Pursuit of at least one science or mathematics course at the honors level or higher during the senior year, even if graduation/JOA credits have been achieved.
Agreement to meet with the Director of the Scholars Program as deemed necessary by the director.
Annual attendance at "JOA Events” that will include aspects of the college process as agreed upon by the Director and college counselors.
A Senior Capstone Project consisting of a research project of the student's choice to be presented in the Spring semester.
No final grade lower than a “B”.

Events

Throughout the year, JOA Scholars are offered access to various cultural and intellectual events around Pittsburgh. Some events are free and open to the public, such as the numerous lectures offered at Carnegie Mellon University, or certain presentations sponsored by the World Affairs Council of Pittsburgh. Other events require tickets that the JOA Scholars purchase on their own. Frequently situated in the Cultural District, or on the campus of either CMU or Pitt, these events offer scholars opportunities for enriching experiences outside of the school day. Many JOA-sponsored events are cross-disciplinary and might correspond to curriculum in a literature or social studies class. Some of the globally-oriented events also count for scholars in the Global Competence Initiative.

The Director of the Scholars Program will provide announcements of events electronically, and students are welcome to seek events other than those recommended. All events must be approved by the Director for credit. While attendance at two “events” per semester, with at least one being of an intellectual nature, is expected of all JOA Scholars, the decision as to which events to attend is left to the discretion of the student. The objective is to foster a sense of curiosity on the part of the student while allowing her to realize the control she exercises over her choice to expand her world.

Always cognizant of the social component essential to a female learning environment, the Director encourages scholars to attend events together, to make plans to grab dinner before an in-person lecture or Zoom together to a remote event—and most importantly, to discuss their experiences in the world beyond our campus.

In order to gain credit, scholars are required to publish a blog post (at least a few paragraphs long) about the event, within a week of attendance. Events must occur outside of school hours, thus excluding mandatory or voluntary school field trips. Because Joan of Arc Scholars should always seek to learn and experience new things, they may not repeat attendance at the same event(s) from year to year. Luckily, even in a remote environment, our community is rich with cultural and intellectual opportunities!

Seminars

Encouraging Lifelong Learning

Scholars typically remain active in their intellectual endeavors even when outside a classroom, whether reading, or watching an independent film, or searching for something on the internet. Learning is not restricted to an institution or a curriculum; building knowledge is a lifelong endeavor. The summer seminars required of all JOA Scholars allow the students to come together as an intellectual community in a much more relaxed and casual manner. Built on the premise that expanding one’s repertoire of skills, or discussing an issue in depth with peers, or using free time to better equip oneself for future academic endeavors is not only normal but desirable, the summer seminars encourage scholars to view their education as an intrinsic part of life. True to the research on female learning styles which emphasizes the need for a more inter-relational approach that supports discussion, group interaction, and consensus building while resolving a problem at hand, the summer seminars encourage a conversational type of learning where scholars work collaboratively on different projects.

Seminars by Grade