The Student Spotlight column often highlights those doing interesting and important things inside the school building and around campus. However, there are plenty of students with unique talents and experiences that extend beyond Holcott Drive that also deserve recognition; Faith O’Hanlon is one of these students.

A junior at Feehan, Faith is heavily involved in music, both inside and outside of school. During the school day, she is a member of the Jazz Choir and the Theater Department. Off-campus she is a classically trained pianist and has been playing for ten years, competing in international competitions. Faith says that she “loves how playing piano has given [her] so many opportunities to travel and meet new people,” as well as how it has given her “a true passion for music.” She will be performing a piano piece in the upcoming Feehan Talent Show on Friday, February 3.

One of the most unique organizations that Faith is involved in is Miss America. Currently, she serves as Miss Southeastern Massachusetts Outstanding Teen and is preparing to compete for the title of Miss Massachusetts Outstanding Teen in the spring. She just had her first pageant experience this fall, even though she was not sure what to expect, she loved it. Unlike other pageant organizations, Miss America is not a beauty pageant. Rather, they are a scholarship organization, with a large focus on service and social impacts. Faith’s initiative is “Hope for Hearts,” which focuses on spreading awareness and advocacy for heart disease. She says that preparing for the next pageant can be a “bit stressful,” but she has a lot of support and “being able to speak about so many things [she’s] passionate about is an amazing opportunity.”

Beyond these activities, Faith is a book lover. She leads the Feehan Book Club (@bfhsbookclub) and her favorite book is The Invention of Wings by Sue Monk Kidd. It was recommended to her by Mrs. Svendsen and she fell in love with it. She is also a Twilight superfan, though her all-time favorite movie is Little Women (the Flo and Timothée version, of course). She says this movie somewhat reminds her of her life growing up with four sisters. When asked about her favorite song, Faith says that she simply cannot choose just one because she listens to so much music. When thinking of the future, she dreams of becoming an airline pilot, and even takes flight lessons on the path to achieving her pilot’s license.

Overall, Faith O’Hanlon is a wonderful example of a student who takes advantage of all the opportunities she is presented with, both at Feehan and beyond. She is extremely motivated and cares deeply about the organizations, groups, and activities that she is involved in, always trying to leave a positive mark everywhere she can.