Olivia and Frankie Bellezza: siblings, friends, and now classmates once again! Olivia and Frankie are two of the many related students here at St. Rose.
For some, this sibling reunion might have happened for the first time ever in high school, but not the Bellezzas! The pair has been going to the same school together ever since their early days at the Avon Elementary School. Olivia is a year older than Frankie, so she was always there to guide her younger brother throughout schooling. Now she is a current sophomore, as Frankie is a current freshman.
With that being said, high school is very different compared to grammar school in the eyes of Olivia and Frankie. Avon Elementary School is a very small community, with about 150 students in total for kindergarten through eighth grade. So, when Olivia first came to the larger institution of St. Rose, she was excited to meet some new people. “After my freshman year at St. Rose, I was eager for my brother to come join the school,” stated Olivia, “I loved my first year and I knew Frankie would feel the same way. I really enjoy sharing in this new experience with him.” Although they do not have any of the same classes, they often see each other in the hallway or library.
The duo has shared more than just in-school experiences; they are both new additions to the swim team. This was yet another unfamiliar experience for the Bellezzas, because their elementary school never had co-ed sports teams. Olivia had joined the swim team her freshman year and loved it so much that she convinced her brother to join in on the fun. Both of them have turned out to be very important additions to the team, especially Frankie, who has become a fierce competitor in his signature 50-yard sprint event. In addition to participating on the swim team, the siblings are both very active in the St. Rose community. Frankie also plays JV baseball in the spring; Olivia plays fall volleyball and spring lacrosse. When they are not spending time in the pool together, they take turns watching each other’s sporting events. “I can always see Frankie in the volleyball stands with his family cheering his sister on. You can tell that the two are very supportive of each other,” stated senior volleyball captain Katharine Taylor.
Outside of their busy schedule consisting of school and sports you can often find Olivia and Frankie hanging out with friends and family. They have two younger sisters that are twins, in addition to a five year old brother. “We are a family of seven, so there is never a dull moment in our house,” explained Frankie, “Because Olivia and I enjoy St. Rose so much, we are excited for our younger siblings to grow up and experience it for themselves.”
It seems as though Olivia and Frankie are cherishing their time spent in high school together – so far so good! With three siblings left to get to high school, it looks like the Bellezza family will be an active part of the St. Rose community for years to come!
By Faith Westhoven ’16
