Meet Our Upper School Class Chaplains

As a Catholic Dominican school, faith is the foundation of our community. We strive to support the spiritual growth of all students. From student-led devotions, to retreats, and weekly prayers of encouragement, our students take an active role in helping each other grow in their faith. 

Together with SGA Chaplain Caroline Coffey, our Upper School Class Chaplains Abbi O'Dell (freshman), Allie Papachristou (sophomore), Ashley Garnica (junior) and Lillian Brent (senior) play an essential role in the process. Beginning Sunday, December 1, these young ladies will be bringing you joyful messages each week of the Advent season-so we thought this would be a great time to introduce them to you! Watch for their weekly messages on our social media each Sunday during Advent.

Abbi O’Dell (’28)

Abbi joined the SAA community as a freshman from OLPH.

Why is it important to you to attend a school where you can openly express your faith?

Attending a school where you can openly express your faith is important because you can learn more about your own faith and share that faith with others.  

Why did you want to be the chaplain for your class? What are your goals in this role?

I wanted to be the chaplain for my freshman class to foster unity and promote a positive campus environment for everyone, in the image of God.

What other activities are you involved in, both on and off campus?

I love playing both soccer and lacrosse. I also love baking and hanging out with my family.

Allie Papachristou (’27)

Allie joined the SAA community as a freshman from OLPH.

Why is it important to you to attend a school where you can openly express your faith?

It is important for me to go to a school where I can openly express my faith because I know that the end goal is to get to heaven. Being surrounded every day by girls who all experience similar things in life makes me realize I am not alone in my faith. Standing up for your faith at this age is hard, so being surrounded by girls my age who are willing to do so makes things a little easier. 

Why did you want to be the chaplain for your class? What are your goals in this role?

I wanted to become the class chaplain because faith is very important to me. I know that when I am having a hard day, taking a minute to pray before a test or listening to Christian music helps me realize that God has got me. My goal in this position as chaplain, is to help bring people closer to God because a life without him is so much harder to navigate.

What other activities are you involved in, both on and off campus?

I play club (competitive soccer) and varsity high school soccer, I am an Extraordinary Minister of the Eucharist at my parish, Our Lady of Perpetual Help, and I am an active member of St. Louis Youth Ministry. SLS is the group I go on mission trips with during the summer.

Ashley Garnica (’26)

Ashley joined the SAA community in 5^th grade from St. Michael School.

Why is it important to you to attend a school where you can openly express your faith?

I believe attending a school that allows me to openly express my faith is important because it allows me to be true to myself and allows me to build connections with people who express similar faith beliefs. 

Why did you want to be the chaplain for your class? What are your goals in this role?

I had an interest in being the class chaplain because I wanted to provide spiritual guidance for my classmates. My goal as chaplain is to strengthen my classmate’s faith and encourage them to grow closer to God. 

What other activities are you involved in, both on and off campus?

Out of school, I’m active in my church and frequently participate in their activities. On campus, I’m a part of the junior class Retreat Leaders. Retreat Leaders are selected students which have a multitude of roles that are crucial for a successful retreat. 

Lillian Brent (’25)

Lillian Brent joined the SAA community in 7^th grade from Richland Elementary in West Memphis, Arkansas.

Why is it important to you to attend a school where you can openly express your faith?

It is important to me to attend a school where I can openly express my faith because my faith is such a big part of my life. I have grown up in church, and I spend most of my time there. Though I am not Catholic, attending a Catholic school has allowed me to be more open about my faith, and I am forever grateful for that.  

Why did you want to be the chaplain for your class? What are your goals in this role?

I wanted to be the chaplain for my class because I knew that would be the best fit position for me. I enjoy spending time with the Lord, and this position has allowed me to incorporate my classmates into that as well. My goal in this role is to hopefully strengthen my peers' relationship with God and allow them to realize a simple prayer can mean so much. 

What other activities are you involved in, both on and off campus?

Within St. Agnes, I am the senior class chaplain and the Retreat Leader Coordinator. I am one of the Co-Presidents of the Ducks Unlimited Club, and I am on the varsity bowling and softball teams. I am an active member of multiple clubs including Key Club and Government Club. 

Outside of school, I am very involved in my youth group. I am on a leadership council that hosts retreats for United Methodist youth across the state of Arkansas. I am the president of the high school sorority, Delta Beta Sigma. I also work at a coffee shop and bookstore.