Some students would be embarrassed to attend the same school where their parents work. Not Abigail Hish.
In the hallways of St. Paul VI Catholic High School in Chantilly, the senior enjoys waving to her mom, Megan Hish, manager of Paul VI Alumni and Parent Programs. “It’s really fun to see her at school, and that’s something I’m definitely going to miss next year,” she said.
Hish is the daughter of two Paul VI alumni, so her choice of high school was not a surprise. She has continued her parents’ legacy through an avid love of service and arts-based extracurriculars.
A dancer since she was little, Hish danced in musicals with Paul VI’s theater program and was named captain of the theater program. This year, she choreographed Paul VI’s musical, “Joseph and the Technicolor Dreamcoat.” “That was something that really taught me to grow in patience but also in leadership,” she said.
Hish also served as co-president of the Panther Pals Club, an extracurricular social and service club for students from both the school’s Options program and general education population. As a peer mentor, “I have a learning partner, and I go to his class, and I really enjoy that,” she said. “I learned so much from my friends within the Options program.”
A member of Paul VI’s Music Honor Society, Hish loves sharing her musical talents with her broader parish community. She sings in the choir at the 11 a.m. Mass at Nativity Catholic Church in Burke. She said both her parish and her school have helped her grow in spiritual formation.
“Another incredible thing I’ve been offered is the ability to get involved with campus ministry and the retreats and mission trips that we offer,” she said. This year, Hish served as a senior retreat leader. “It was really cool to lead small groups of juniors and truly allow them to voice what they believe and (hear) their perspectives,” she said.
After graduation, Hish said she looks forward to growing her faith with the Newman Community while attending Virginia Tech in Blacksburg. She attributes a portion of her college decision to an interaction she had with Bishop Michael F. Burbidge during one of his visits to Paul VI Sept. 13. Hish mentioned that she was trying to discern where to go to college, and she said Bishop Burbidge replied, “ ‘Well, you don’t have to go to a Catholic college to experience Catholic community.’ And that really changed my perspective,” Abigail said.
After a tour of Virginia Tech and a visit to the Newman Center, she felt at peace with her decision. “When I stepped on that campus, I was like, ‘This is home.’ ” When Bishop Burbidge returned to Paul VI for a spring visit May 1, Hish approached him and told him that she put his advice to good use.
As she looks back on her jam-packed but fulfilling four years at Paul VI, Hish sees the hand of God through it all. “One of our mottos is ‘Grace and Wisdom,’ and I truly believe that’s something Paul VI has allowed me to do,” she said. “I’ve grown as a person and spiritually, and I think I’ve just truly grown into who I am and discovered who I want to be in this world.”
This article has been updated.
