Month: September 2018

Busy Belles Summer 2018

Not content to rest on their laurels, many of our Belles were busy with a wide array of camps, programs, and volunteering across the country this summer. Over 50 students used their time away from campus to broaden their horizons, make new friends, and enrich their SMA experience.

Locally, students participated in programs like Camp Children’s Hospital Los Angeles (CHLA), USC’s Diversity in Health Care Leadership summer enrichment program, Camp Neuro at USC, Cinemagic film making, Charles R. Drew University Science Day, Design Immersion Days at Southern California Institute of Architecture,  work experience at Payden & Rygel, the Envision Medical Program at UCLA, Sports Medicine Camp at Mira Costa High School, shadowing at MLK Hospital, and volunteering at hospitals like Providence Little Company of Mary, Cedars Sinai, Ronald Regan Hospital, Kaiser Permanente West L.A., and St. Francis Medical Center in Lynwood.

SMA student athletes honed their skills in camps for soccer, Indoor, and Beach Volleyball, and several of our basketball players traveled to Kentucky, Georgia, and Arizona for tournaments.

Girls in the Economics for Leadership program got a chance to participate in workshops and classes within the program on the following university campuses: UC Santa Barbara, Oberlin College, UC Berkeley, UCLA, Washington University, Brown University, Rice University, and University of Washington.

Other programs our Belles joined include National Youth Leader Forum: Medicine at UC Berkeley, Cal Poly San Luis Obispo’s Engineering Possibilities in College, Just the Beginning Law Program at Loyola Marymount University, the University of Colorado Denver’s CAP ACE summer camp, Create Summer at Sacramento State University, Black Girls Lead at Columbia University, and even volunteering at clinic in Guadalajara, Mexico.

Let’s hear it for our Busy Belles, and celebrate their many wonderful accomplishments:

Udoka Abada ’19- Economcs For Leadershop, WashingtonUniversity

Danielle Adeniji ’20- Economics for Leadership, Brown Univesity

Samael Al-Alim ’21- Cinemagic

Morgan Betts ’22- Indoor Club, Volleyball

Kimberly Casarez ’19- EPIC– Engineering Possibilities in College, Cal Poly San Luis Obispo

Raqeul Ceron ’19- Volunteeer at MLK Hospital

Isr’ael Conerly ’19- Volunteer at Providence Little Company Of Mary Hospital

Alexis Cortez ’19- Camp CHLA & Volunteer at Providence Little Company Of Mary Hospital

Kaliah Davis ’20- Economics for Leadership, UC Berkley

Olivia Dixon ’20- Volunteer at Kaiser Permanente, Baldwin Hills

Elizabeth Elliott ’21- Basketball Tournaments in Kentucky, Georgia, Arizona and Los Angeles

Raylyn Fergerson ’22- Basketball Tournaments in Kentucky, Georgia, Arizona and Los Angeles

Lesley Flores ’21- LMU, Just the Beginning, Law Program

Terrianne Furlough ’20- LMU, Just the Beginning, Law Program

Nayeli Gomez ’20- National Youth Leader Forum: Medicine, Berkeley & Work Experience at Payden and Rygel

Isabella Gonzales ’21- Basketball Tournaments in Kentucky, Georgia, Arizona and Los Angeles

Monica Gonzalez ’19- Cinemagic

Araceli Gonzalez-Herrera ’20- Economics for Leadership, UCLA

Angelique Hale ’19- Economics for Leadership,  Rice University & Camp CHLA & Volunteer at Kaiser Permanente, West LA

Kayce Hansford ’19-  Volunteer at Westchester Convalscent Home

Alyssa Harding ’20- Economics for Leadership, UC Berkley

D’Ajah Hayes ’19- Cinemagic

Karla Jordan ’20- Clinic Volunteer in Guadalajara, Mexico

Heaven Joseph ’19- Design Immersion Days at SCI-Arc

Meron Kahsai ’19 CAP ACE Summer Camp, University of Colorado, Denver

Zainab Kashim ’19 Camp CHLA

Oceanna Lenon ’19- Create Summer Academy,  Sacramento State University & Cinemagic

Retha Little ’19- Basketball Tournaments in Kentucky, Georgia, Arizona and Los Angeles & Volunteeer at MLK Hospital

Jasmine Love ’19- Teen Volunteer Program at Cedars Sinai & Charles R. Drew University Science Days

Ashley Mancia ’19- EPIC– Engineering Possibilities in College, Cal Poly San Luis Obispo

Briseida Marquez ’21- Cinemagic

Trinity May ’20- Beach Volley Ball

Imani McGregory ’19- Basketball Tournaments in Kentucky, Georgia, Arizona and Los Angeles & Volunteer at Cedars Sinai, Kerlan-Jobe Orthopedic Facility

Leslie Melendez ’19- Economics For Leadership, Oberlin College & SEP Program, USC & Sports Medicine Program, Mira Costa High School

Victoria Miranda ’19- Economics For Leadership, UC Santa Barbara

Amarri Moody ’19- Volunteer at Kaiser Permanente, West LA

Mia Muir ’20- Black Girls Lead at Columbia Univesity & Beach Volley Ball

Bethael Mulugeta ’19 Volunteer at Kaiser Permanente, West LA

Daniela Ortega ’20- Envision Medical Program, UCLA & Camp Neuro, USC & Camp Cardiac, USC

Rebecca Pozos ’19- Create Summer Academy, Sacramento State University & Volunteer at Kaiser Permanente, West LA

Frida Santiago ’19- Volunteer at Ronald Reagan Hospital , UCLA

Alexza Tejeda ’19- Sports Medicine Camp, Mira Costa High School

Giuliana Toscano ’19- Volunteer at Providence Little Company Of Mary Hospital

Jaslyn Usher ’22- Indoor Club, Volleyball

Demilynn Vazquez ’21- Cinemagic & Work Experience at Payden and Rygel

Nicole Washington ’19- Envision Health Career Leadership Program, UCLA

Elycia Wright ’21- Basketball Tournaments in Kentucky, Georgia, Arizona and Los Angeles & Volunteer at St. Francis Medical Center, Lynwood

 

And these are just the Belles that shared information!  Keep it up Belles!!!!!!

Meet SMA Onward Scholars Cohort 1!

St. Mary’s Academy is excited to announce that, through the generosity of The John H. and Cynthia Lee Smet Foundation, 12 Belles from the Class of 2022 make up the first cohort of Onward Scholars at SMA!

The Smet Foundation provides a four-year scholarship for 75% of each Onward Scholar’s tuition costs in addition to a personal stipend of $2,000 to use over her time at SMA. The stipend offsets the cost of activities in line with the mission of Onward Scholars such as summer pre-college programs or off-campus cultural experiences.

Onward Scholars at St. Mary’s Academy receive not only the support services the school provides, but also work closely with the onsite Onward Scholars Program Director to receive mentoring and access to programs that prepare students for the college application and matriculation process. Monthly OSP-sponsored workshops focus on life skill development and topics of significance in the advancement of young women in today’s world.

What has Cohort I been up to since they joined the SMA family last March?  Read the inaugural edition of the Onward Outlook below! We look forward to the continued growth of Onward Scholars at SMA-Cohort II will be selected in March 2019 from the Red Tie Class of 2023!

 

Loader Loading...
EAD Logo Taking too long?

Reload Reload document
| Open Open in new tab

Download

Meet our New Faculty & Staff

Our new Vice Principal, Kris Anderson, is joining us from St. Monica Catholic High School where he spent four years as Dean of Students and Social Studies Department Chair. While at St. Monica, Kris served on the Administrative Council working closely with other curricular and co-curricular directors to shape the vision of the school. Prior to this, Kris worked at three different Catholic high schools as a Social Studies teacher, student moderator, and coach. Kris received his master’s degree from Loyola Marymount University in Catholic School Administration and is currently working on completing a doctorate degree in Educational Leadership for Social Justice from LMU. Kris’s favorite pastime is exploring new neighborhoods and restaurants in the Los Angeles area.

Jeanette Bray begins her first year at SMA as Academic Counselor. Jeanette graduated with her AA in Liberal Arts from Mount Saint Mary’s University-Los Angeles, B.S in Human Services, and graduated with her Master of Science degree in Marriage, Family, and Child Therapy from University of Phoenix and is currently working on obtaining a PPS credential from Alliant International University. Prior, to coming to SMA Ms. Bray worked as an Associate Marriage and Family Therapist providing individual and group therapy to adolescents and elementary school aged children. Jeanette’s favorite pastimes include going to Disneyland, cooking, and spending time with family.

Chris Buckley begins his first year at SMA teaching Chemistry and Physics. He will also be working with freshmen students in their Math support block. Chris comes to St. Mary’s from Rolling Hills Prep and Renaissance School. Chris graduated from the University of Miami in Florida and is excited to get to work with his new colleagues.

 

Stephanie Gordon is our new Director of the Health a Careers Path Program. She is joining SMA from Junipero Serra High School in Gardena where she spent the last five years as a PLTW biomedical science teacher, Science Department chairperson, and STEM Coordinator. Prior to her time at Serra, Stephanie was a science teacher at St. Lucy’s Priory High School in Glendora for four years. Stephanie received her master’s degree from Loyola Marymount University in Secondary Education. With a research background in neuroscience and at the USDA, she is looking forward to bringing rigorous and engaging biomedical science curriculum to SMA. Stephanie loves traveling abroad, visiting national parks, gardening, cooking, watching Kings hockey, and hanging out with other people’s dogs.

 

Catherine Knight joins us as a Develpment Associate. She earned her Bachelor of Science in Social Work from Mount Saint Mary’s University. She has nearly a decade of experience working in the nonprofit sector. Catherine’s development career began at the Los Angeles Metropolitan YMCA where she served various roles at both the Westside and Ketchum-Downtown branches. Her experience at the YMCA included annual support campaign leadership, capital campaign assistance, as well as program leadership and development. In addition, Catherine acted as a staff lead during annual fundraising events, and brand manager for the Ketchum- Downtown branch as well as overseeing communications and social media. She is an alumna of Immaculate Heart High School in Los Angeles and grew up participating in Irish Step Dancing and danced competitively at local, regional, national and world levels. Catherine enjoys reading, karaoke, and running, and occasionally still dances.

 

Yolanda Davila will be joining SMA as a Religion and Spanish teacher. She has worked as a Case Manager for Community Build Inc., an LA city-based program for gang prevention and youth development. She has also worked as a high school instructor at Notre Dame Academy and is excited to get back to what she loves: teaching. When at home she enjoys spending time with her German Shepherd, Nikkita, who waits so patiently for her.

Cuong Pham is a new Math teacher at St. Mary’s Academy. Prior to this position he taught middle school math for six years at a charter school. Cuong graduated from Cal State Long Beach with a degree in Liberal Studies. When he isn’t working Cuong likes to golf or play any kind of sports. He was born in Vietnam and is the oldest of four siblings.

Back to School Message from the Principal

Welcome to another blessed school year at St. Mary’s Academy as we celebrate our 130th birthday, making us the longest, continuously run all-girls Catholic school in Los Angeles! We are kicking off to a strong start as all the summer projects are now complete! New projectors are installed in every classroom to enhance the learning experience for all our students. Water fountains now have a refillable feature to encourage students, faculty, and staff to fill their eco-friendly water bottles and stay hydrated. The newly finished gym floors and updated bleachers are ready for our SMA belles to dominate on the volleyball and basketball court. School banners are up hovering over our prominent track proudly showcasing Some of the best features of St. Mary’s Academy. The school doors are now open and ready to welcome the 270 beautiful and bright young women on campus!


Senior red ties anxiously prepare for the college application season and junior blue ties are situating to the new challenges of upper division coursework. Sophomore green ties are now more accustomed to ‘the SMA way’ as they, along with the juniors and seniors, lovingly welcome the incoming future gold ties to the sisterhood community.

At St. Mary’s Academy, we are committed to providing the best opportunities for our students to grow and become powerful influencers to make positive social change. It is up to us to build up a generation of women filled with courage, faith, and love to use their gifts to tend to the needs of the world. Great leaders are formed by inspiring educators who model what it means to be good stewards of the world. At the start of the school year, our faculty and staff practiced what it means to ‘serve the dear neighbor’ volunteering at St. Joseph Center and Alexandria house to help men, women, and children transition out of economically difficult situations all while learning about the rich history and traditions of the Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet. We plan to continue this momentum of service all throughout the schoolyear and into the future.


God has blessed us with limitless possibilities for our students. This past summer, many of our belles stayed competitively engaged completing prestigious internships and summer programs scattered all around the country in various career fields. Additionally, we now offer two Project Lead the Way (PLTW) pathways in our Engineering and Health Careers program that focuses on real-world, applied learning experiences to help students develop in-demand, transportable skills such as problem solving, critical and creative thinking, collaboration, and communication. St. Mary’s Academy is also at the center of Inglewood that promises great opportunities for our students in the areas of sports, entertainment, business, the arts, and so much more! I could not think of a more exciting time to celebrate our momentous 130th birthday than now. Join me as we celebrate the past, present, and future successes of St. Mary’s Academy!

 

 

-Mrs.  Mary Rose Batungbacal

Here’s a visual piece of what’s been happening at St. Mary’s Academy!  Thank you to all the students, faculty, and staff who helped plan, create, facilitate, and/or present in this video and to 2yuk productions for filming and editing this project.  Please enjoy!

© 2024 Belles Blog

Theme by Anders NorenUp ↑

Subscribe By Email

Get every new post delivered right to your inbox.

This form is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

Skip to toolbar