Voices Ringing
Carroll High School Blog
Corrinn Neidhard '26: Student of the Week March 21, 2024
Corrinn Neidhard ‘26, Trinity House and St. Helen School Alumna, with Mrs. Melissa (Balsom) Fisher ’83
Corrinn has taken a leadership role with the Revolution Lenten Challenge for the Almsgiving challenge. She is also one of the leaders for one of the Key Club events at the end of March. She has been organizing the event, taking notes, and truly being a leader and easy to work with!
-Mrs. Melissa (Balsom) Fisher '83
Favorite Restaurant:
Raising Cane's
Favorite Movie:
Dear John
Who would play you in a movie:
Jenna Ortega
Place you’d love to travel:
Maldives
What activities do you participate in?
I'm a member of Carroll girls' soccer, club soccer, Key Club, Pickleball Club, and Revolution Committee
What's your favorite part of being a student at Carroll?
My favorite part of being a student at Archbishop Carroll High School is all the opportunities to give back to the community through volunteering or other service projects.
What should school “do” for you?
School should push me to be the best I can while helping me learn life skills.
What’s a lesson you learned when you overcame a difficult obstacle?
Don’t stress over things you can’t control.
What’s your biggest dream in life?
My biggest dream is to travel the world by country and give back to the communities I visit through service projects and volunteering.
How do you like spending your free time?
I spend my free time usually hanging out with my friends or shopping.
Julian Correa Quiroz '24: Student of the Week December 13, 2023
Julian Correa Quiroz ‘24, Charity House and Our Lady of the Rosary School Alumnus, with Mr. Erik Ramsey ’93 and Mr. Chris Sorrell '83
Julian Correa-Quiroz is a translator-extraordinaire' for families who have lots of questions about Carroll and are still learning English. His patience and attentiveness to those parents and children are as impressive as it gets.
-Mr. Chris Sorrell '83
Favorite Restaurant:
Giordano's
Favorite Movie:
Tokyo Drift
Who would you like to play in a movie?
Pedro Paschal
Place you'd love to travel:
Tokyo, Japan
What's your favorite part of being a student at Carroll?
The people here are so open with each other and families grow together daily.
What should school “do” for you?
I feel like school should be a safe and relaxing place for all people. Even though it can cause a lot of stress, it could lead to something nice. Also, I feel like it should have the best interest in us as a community and have a well-rounded mindset for kids that need help with personal or educational growth.
What’s a lesson you learned when you overcame a difficult obstacle?
Never give up on your hopes and dreams because if God challenges you with something, it only means he has something better for you at the end.
What’s your biggest dream in life?
To be successful and make my parents proud of all my accomplishments.
How do you like spending your free time?
I like to spend my free time hanging out around friends and family. If I'm not with them, then I'm doing something active, like going to the gym.
Chalsie Fedkow '23: Student of the Week March 16, 2023
Chalsie Fedkow ‘23, Trinity House & St. Helen School Alumna, with Mr. Jim Murray and Mrs. Melissa (Balsom) Fisher ’83
Chalsie is a Trinity Captain and has led the Family Room very well – she plans well and executes those plans to her fullest. Chalsie also has a Cricut and has made many things this year for Trinity House. She would not accept money and did it for service hours. She made posters for the Trinity Cheer in the fall as well as t-shirts and coasters for Christmas presents for the Trinity faculty and staff.
-Mrs. Melissa (Balsom) Fisher '83
What activities do you participate in?
I am a Captain for Trinity House.
What's your favorite part of being a student at Carroll?
My favorite part of being a Carroll student is being able to be a Captain for Trinity House, show other students the Carroll spirit, and inspire them to be there best during their Carroll experience. The whole community here at Archbishop Carroll High School is a blessing to me.
What should school “do” for you?
What I think school should do for me is make sure everyone here feels welcomed at all times and prepare me for my future in life and education.
What’s a lesson you learned when you overcame a difficult obstacle?
The end of my junior year here at Carroll was a very difficult obstacle for me because I was stressed out a lot with worry about my next step of my high school career. It’s a big step in our life, but the teachers and counselors here at Carroll helped calmed me down and showed me what each step was like for college. I was very worried to apply to my dream college, but they told me not to worry because Carroll prepares you very well and can help you get into all of your dream colleges if you strive for it. So, the start of my senior year here at Carroll was not overwhelming because I was accepted into my dream college thanks to the faculty here at Carroll.
What’s your biggest dream in life?
My biggest dream in life is to attend Sinclair Community College and get a bachelor’s degree in interior design, then move on to finding a job as an interior designer.
Sam Brun '26, Student of the Week January 17, 2023
Sam Brun, 26, Trinity House, with Mrs. Diane (McNelly) Keller '83
Sam Brun is a hard working student in class and contributes regularly to class discussions. I have him in a class with Sophomores and Juniors, and he is the only Freshman. This does not intimidate him in any way. He is also able to handle situations that could make lead to tension with other students with grace and patience.
-Mrs. Diane (McNelly) Keller '83
What activities do you participate in?
I am a part of the Marching Band, and I play club and high school volleyball.
What's your favorite part of being a student at Carroll?
My favorite part of being a student at Carroll is the sense of community and belonging that Carroll is so great at providing for each and every student.
What should school “do” for you?
For me, school should allow everyone to become the best versions of themselves, and allow them to learn how to overcome obstacles in life.
What’s a lesson you learned when you overcame a difficult obstacle?
A lesson that I’ve learned is that nothing in life is served to you on a silver platter. If you want to be successful in life, taking the first step to becoming great will open your eyes to so many possibilities.
What’s your biggest dream in life?
My biggest dream in life is to become successful in whatever field I choose to pursue but with that comes acknowledging why you became successful. You need to realize that God gave you the strengths and skills to become successful. That is my true dream in life, which is to praise God by using my strengths and skills to become the best version of myself.
How do you like spending your free time?
I like to spend my free time spending time with friends and family, playing volleyball, and the occasional 3 a.m. Minecraft sessions with my older brothers.
Robert Betts '22: Student of the Week January 20, 2022
Robert Betts '22, Charity House, with Mrs. Diane (McNelly) Keller '83
Robert is a dedicated and hardworking student in my computer science classes. He is willing to help others, actively participates in class, and has also helped fill a void in Charity House leadership.
-Mrs. Diane (McNelly) Keller '83
What activities do you participate in?
I am in Marching Band and Symphonic Band.
What's your favorite part of being a student at Carroll?
My favorite part of being a student at Carroll is the learning environment as well as all the activities we do here, such as the House competitions.
What should school “do” for you?
Teach me about important things like academics and real world problems.
What’s a lesson you learned when you overcame a difficult obstacle?
One difficult obstacle that I have faced was online learning. I overcame this by studying more and paying hard attention to what was being taught, as well as self-teaching.
What’s your biggest dream in life?
One of my biggest dreams in life is to turn my fish keeping hobby into a business.
How do you like spending your free time?
I like to spend my free time by tending to my fish keeping hobby and hanging out with friends.
Student of the Week: Paxton Clark '23
Paxton Clark '23, Gonzaga House, with Mrs. Diane (McNelly) Keller '83
Paxton is a hardworking student who works hard in all he does. Paxton always has a great attitude and engages in class discussions.
-Mrs. Diane (McNelly) Keller '83
What activities do you participate in?
Soccer, Food Bank volunteer
What's your favorite part of being a student at Carroll?
I love going to Family Room and Football games.
What should school “do” for you?
School should provide a quality education and opportunity for all students while allowing and enabling us to strengthen and grow our faith.
What’s a lesson you learned when you overcame a difficult obstacle?
A difficult obstacle that I had to overcome recently was breaking my wrist. I had to learn how to adapt to life while only using one hand. Although my wrist will heal, It made me rethink how people with permanent physical disabilities do not have it easy and how our world needs to be more accessible for the disabled.
What’s your biggest dream in life?
My biggest dream in life is to travel the world and find happiness.
How do you like spending your free time?
I enjoy spending my free time playing soccer and hanging out with friends and family.
Student of the Week: Sarah Campbell '24
Sarah Campbell '24, Baltimore House with Mr. Chris Sorrell '83
Sarah Campbell has set the most wonderful example for how a student should be prepared, enthusiastic, and curious as each class begins. Her performance reflects well on her scores in the classroom and makes her an outstanding classmate. I think my seventh period class can rely on Sarah to be a leader in the room for the entire semester. Our class is better because Sarah is in it. Well done Sarah and the Campbell family.
-Mr. Chris Sorrell '83
What activities do you participate in?
Women's Soccer, Mass Choir, Spanish Club, Physical Therapy Club, and Drama club.
What's your favorite part of being a student at Carroll?
My favorite part of being a student at Carroll is because of the helpful and welcoming environment which pushes you to be the best you can and to your best abilities.
What should school “do” for you?
School should be a place where you learn not only about the required subjects taught there, but it should also be a place of community, fun, laughter, memorable experiences, and people. That is what school is all about.
What’s a lesson you learned when you overcame a difficult obstacle?
Sometimes that when you are going 100 miles an hour, it is okay to slow down and take a look at all you have accomplished instead of thinking about all your mistakes. One mistake will slow you down, but only if you let it.
What’s your biggest dream in life?
I hope to graduate from a college with a degree in veterinary science.
How do you like spending your free time?
I love to spend time with my family and friends. I love to watch sports and love to read.
Patching Some Tires and Paving the Way in Special Education: Meet Marina Sorrell '17
On May 9, Marina Sorrell ‘17 received her diploma from the School of Education and Health Sciences at the University of Dayton, where she majored in Intervention Specialty, or the education of neurodiverse students. Leading up to this significant moment, she has had many opportunities to both reflect upon her time as a student at Carroll and to plan on how she will utilize the tools her teachers gave her to now teach in her own classroom as a licensed Pre-K through 12th grade Intervention Specialist.
Marina graduated Cum Laude, and The UD Department of Education and the Dean’s office selected her as the recipient of the Raymond and Beulah Horn Award of Excellence out of all the Intervention Specialists in her cohort for excellence in her subject area. In addition to this highly prestigious award, she also received other awards in excellence in Intervention Specialty from the university.
Marina has had many influential experiences leading up to her choice to become an Intervention Specialist; however, growing up as a sibling of a neurodiverse learner could be considered one of the most significant experiences that has prepared Marina for her future career. Her younger brother, Woody, was diagnosed with Autism when he was two years old. Marina, who was seven at the time, had not heard of the term, let alone had any idea what that meant for Woody and his future learning experiences. However, she remembers when his diagnosis finally made sense to her. In a conversation with her parents, a very young Marina compared Woody’s brain to a popped bicycle tire. “It’s not like the bike doesn’t work,” Marina said, “but it’s harder to pedal, so we have to help him inflate his tire. That’s the analogy I always think of (now) when I’m teaching.”
Marina grew up watching Woody’s team of family, therapists, adults, and educators work together to fill his tires, and she was by his side to celebrate the tiny yet monumental breakthroughs he achieved on his journey to success. Watching her brother's progress and development made a significant impact on Marina, and it inspired her desire to help children on similar learning paths.
From early on in her life, Sorrell knew that she wanted to go into the education field in some way as well. Even her 4th and 5th grade teachers at Mother Brunner School would discuss it with Marina’s parents and encourage that path for their daughter. “Every grade level I got to, I thought, ‘I could teach this grade! This would be fun!’” recalled Sorrell. It would take many years later, upon a hike with her mother, where she would realize that Intervention Specialty could be a good fit for her. An Intervention Specialist’s license would allow her to work with students pedaling their bicycles in ways similar to Woody. An additional endorsement would also allow Marina the freedom and flexibility to work with a diverse group of students in all grade levels and various subjects.
“Carroll is more than just this school on Linden Avenue. The Carroll support got me through college and got me there.”
-Marina Sorrell '17
Marina credits Carroll as being the place where she solidified her desire to become a teacher during the most formative years of her life. “I owe a lot to Carroll. I liked the subjects I was in, and I liked how my teachers went about teaching,” said Marina, “They were really great models for what it’s really like to enjoy your teaching job.” She remembers her English teachers in particular having so much fun, and those memories inspired her to make learning fun for her future students.
Carroll Social Studies Mr. Chris Sorrell ‘83, Marina’s father, mentioned to her that when she took Mrs. Jill Kilby’s AP Psychology class, it was the first time that he saw his daughter becoming a student- one who wanted to dive deeper into the material, even beyond what was being covered in class. Marina credits Mrs. Kilby, as well as her teachers at Carroll, for igniting that desire to be a lifelong learner and to become a teacher herself. “All of the teachers at Carroll are great examples of great teachers.” Marina learned from teachers, like Mrs. Marcy (Hemmert) Hughes ‘83 and Mrs. Mary Ollier, who showed Marina what it means to teach the whole student rather than just presenting the classroom content.
When it came time to apply for college, the application process for Marina looked like it does for most high school seniors, daunting. Thankfully, Marina felt comfortable being vulnerable and reaching out to her beloved teachers for help when the time came to apply. They came to her aid, reading over application essays and helping her prepare materials for submission. During the application process, her teachers at Carroll linked Sorrell to professors at the University of Dayton who are connected to the Carroll family in various ways that could help her discern both her major and her overall decision to attend the University of Dayton. “(Carroll is) more than just this school on Linden Avenue. The Carroll support got me through college and got me there,” Marina recalled.
Upon entering UD her freshman year, Marina felt more than prepared for the rigorous coursework that comes at the university level. Having taken scholarship courses during her time at Carroll, including College Credit Plus coursework as an upperclassman, Sorrell not only had experience in college-level demands, but she also had acquired college credits prior to her arrival on UD’s campus. One of the more challenging courses for freshman education majors, Physics, ended up being less of an obstacle than expected, as she had taken two years worth of physics at Carroll. Marina even ended up being the go-to classmate on her residence hall floor to proofread papers for the UD course, as Marina knew the formatting so well from her Carroll days. After taking the course at UD, Marina returned to Carroll, sought out Physics teacher, Mrs. Laurie Fuhr, and told her that she would not have passed without her.
At the University of Dayton, Marina did more than simply pass her coursework. She earned one of the top scores among her classmates on her edTPA, a performance-based Ohio licensure test. The university has also frequently asked her to speak to incoming and current undergraduate students who are entering the education field about her experiences in the School of Education.
Now, Marina is ready to help other neurodiverse students inflate their own bicycle tires and find success on their own learning journeys. She is currently applying for teaching positions in the greater Dayton and Cincinnati areas, and she is so excited to be in a classroom of her own. “I can’t wait to meet my future students, and I can’t wait to learn about them and grow with them,” she gushed, “I don’t know where I’ll be teaching, but I’m so excited to be there, wherever it is.”