Oakcrest School in Vienna celebrated the blessing of its new Anna Diederich Field Dec. 19. Father John Agnew, chaplain, celebrated Mass in the school chapel, followed by the blessing of the field, which is adjacent to the school’s athletic fields.
The blessing honors alumna Anna Diederich, who graduated from Oakcrest in 2017. A parishioner of Our Lady of Hope Church in Potomac Falls, Diederich studied chemical engineering at the University of Notre Dame and graduated in 2021. She returned to Oakcrest, teaching math, coaching cross country and serving as a class dean. She died Oct. 9, 2023, while attending medical school at the University of Virginia in Charlottesville. Many members of her family attended the Dec. 19 field blessing.
Last fall, an anonymous donor offered Oakcrest $600,000 to purchase the property if the school community was able to match the donation by Oct. 5. Over the course of 30 days, the school community fundraised enough to meet the $1.2 million threshold to purchase the 2.2-acre property.
“This campaign was a powerful testament to a community that truly believes in our mission. In less than 30 days, our families, alumnae, and friends came together to secure this land and protect the future of Oakcrest,” said Head of School Christie Keuchel. “That is what this milestone really represents for us—protecting our future. This property allows us to plan thoughtfully, steward our mission responsibly, and ensure that our campus continues to serve the needs of our students for generations to come.
“Naming the field after Anna Diederich has been an especially moving part of this journey,” Keuchel continued. “Anna embodied the very heart of Oakcrest as a student, alumna, and teacher. She was intellectually curious, deeply faithful, and so generous with her gifts and talents. Our community was deeply impacted by her life, and naming this field in her honor is one way we keep her witness alive and inspire our students every day.”
