Alumnae E-News Visit our Website - Volume 60 January 2021

Volume 60
        January 2021
     Alumnae E-News
     Visit our Website

Meet a former Villa Victoria Teacher,
     Coach and Board Member:
An Interview with Ginnie Napolitano

                   Positions at VVA: Member of the Villa
                   faculty and staff from 1971-1984, first
                   chairperson of the Villa Board of Directors
                   (1984).

                   E d u c a t i o n : East Stroudsburg State
                   Teachers College (Bachelor's Degree in
                   Health and Physical Education, classes
                   toward a Master's Degree from Westchester
                   University)

                   Favorite Villa Memory:
                   To be honest, there are too many favorite
                   memories! But I have great memories of
                   Villa Sports Nites over the years. Yes! That's
                   how we spelled it! I have developed
                   wonderful friendships over the years with
                   my former students and with the Filippini
                   sisters. I was honored to be chosen as a
                   Villa Wall of Fame inductee in 2009. Also, I
                   became a Catholic while working at Villa
                   Victoria and my husband and I renewed
                   our vows in Villa's school chapel.

                   Growing Up:
                   I grew up in the blue-collar town of
                   Glenolden, PA. I was raised by two aunts
                   and my cousin was one of my regular
                   playmates. I met my husband Vic at
                   Pennsbury High School. It was my first
                   teaching job and it was Vic's first teaching

job also. He had played professional
baseball before becoming a teacher. (You
can read more about Vic here). This is
where I developed my love of sports by
playing anything competitive with the
(mostly) boys in the neighborhood--
baseball, stick ball, even a game called
halfball that used a broomstick as a bat and
a rubber tire.

How I Landed at Villa:
In the fall of 1970 I was officiating at a field
hockey game at Notre Dame High School.
Sr. Lillian Harrington was coaching the
Villa team. She came over to me after the
game and said, "You want a job teaching
PE?" I told her that I had too many
responsibilities at that time but that if she
would allow me to job share, I might be
interested! She agreed! I went on to job
share the Villa Health and PE job with my
friend Birdie Augustin for many years. I
taught on certain days and Birdie watched
all the kids and then on the days Birdie
taught I watched her children. It worked
out great for everyone!

At Villa I was responsible for the Villa
Sports Nites. We had a great time at these
with the Villa girls performing skits and
playing games. At Villa I also organized
summer trips to other countries for the
Villa girls and their families. We visited
religious sites such as Medjugorje, Lourdes
and Fatima. Many times Sr. Lillian and Sr.
Roseann would join us on these trips. We
had a wonderful time!

My hobby:
One of my Villa students, Christine
Hoffman '73 sent me this postcard from the
Olympics in Munich. (see framed photo).
This started my love and fascination with
all things connected to the Olympics. I have
now been to seven Olympics all over the
world with my favorite being the Olympics
in Barcelona in 1992. The town is diverse
and beautiful. The food and culture were
fantastic. We made friends in Barcelona
who remain friends to this day.

Funny story! Sr. Lillian was at a yard sale
and saw a set of GREAT OLYMPIC
MOMENTS coins. She asked the seller,
"How much?" and he said, "50 cents,
Sister." Then she said, "Will you take a
quarter?" SOLD! Many years later the coins
were found to be worth $1,100! I offered
them back to Sr. Lillian and she told me to
hang on to them in case Villa hits hard
times and then I could give them back! I
treasure these!

My life today:
Every day I wake up glad to be alive and

grateful to God for my fantastic family and
wonderful friends. I am busy all day---
cooking, socializing, whatever comes my
way!

Top Photo: Ginnie today.

Second Photo: The Olympic postcard that
started it all.

Third Photo: The Olympic coin set
discovered by Sr. Lillian.

Fourth Photo: Ginnie at Villa during her
teaching days.

Fifth Photo: Ginnie with some of her
students at a Villa sports night.

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The Villa Alumnae E-newsletter is produced twice per month for Villa alumnae,
alumnae parents, current students, and other friends of Villa Victoria
Academy. Any corrections, questions or news should be sent to
cwhite@villavictoria.org.