Justine Clougherty Award

History: Handwritten by Pat & Leo Clougherty (Parents of Justine) on July 25, 1998

Justine Clougherty was a swimmer on the Forest Hills Swim Team from its start until 1979 when she graduated from high school. She attended St. Maurice School, and Churchill High School, where she was a high honor student, a varsity swimmer, majorette captain, a choir member, and in the musicals. She graduated from Georgetown University in 1983. She died in December, 1983 from injuries in an automobile accident.  She is still really missed by her family and lots of her friends which is why one of them established this award in her memory.

 Justine liked to win and she worked hard to be a winner. (She actually accidently swallowed the retainer from her braces during a race – which she won. Her orthodontist said he never knew of this to happen before.). She had a great sense of loyalty and of team spirit. At one time her 3 brothers and 2 sisters were members of the team with Justine. She supported and cheered her teammates. She always had a positive outlook.

 We don’t know if this was a legacy from her name but she was amazingly fair all her life and ready to speak out about being just. One past coach said that she was his Jiminy Cricket.

 Long after she died we met someone we didn’t even know she knew, and that girl told us that she’d never forget Justine because, although they weren’t friends, Justine always said “Hi” to her first if they passed in the school hall. Being voted by her team as the recipient of the Joseph Gabella Award was one of the great moments in her life. Having this award named for her continuing this tradition would make her happy in heaven.