Catholic Schools week has been celebrated at the Academy for many years. During this week multiple exciting events take place, such as Grandparents day, Poetry out loud, and service opportunities. The purpose of Catholic Schools week is to celebrate Catholic education and celebrate what makes Catholic schools so great. Our goal is to celebrate family, education, and community through our actions that reflect our schools values.

To kick off Catholic schools week, we have Grandparents and Special friends day on Monday 27. This is a day where we can show our grandparents and/or special friends the beauty of our school and what the Academy is really about. We start the day off prayerfully in mass, celebrating the sacrament with our friends and family. After mass, we are given the opportunity to show our visitors our classes and works posted around the school.

This day is special to many Academy students as they are able to share their school with the people they love and care for. Many students look forward to grandparents day as it is not only a time to show people around the school, but a time to spend with loved ones. We allow others to understand our daily lives and take this opportunity to grow closer to our loved ones. This is a very special tradition at the Academy that will carry on for years to come.

Another event during catholic schools week is our annual poetry out loud. Poetry Out Loud is an event where students choose a poem to memorize and go through multiple rounds of recitations. The first round is for the students’ English class, and then one from each class gets chosen and competes against each other. Once one person gets chosen from each grade, the final four will go in front of the school for the last, judged recitation. This year’s contestants are Lilly Frank ‘29 placing fourth, Lauren Rordam ‘27 placing third, Eve Lewis ‘26 placing second, and Gabriella Suarez-Vargas ‘28 taking first place. These four students were judged by Alex Diaz ‘13, Alan Schonbrun ‘99, and Gillian Permuy ‘01.

First place winner Gabriella Suarez-Vargas (’28) says, “Performing reminded me how powerful words can be when you truly feel them.”

While many students may dread Poetry Out Loud, it teaches us valuable lessons. The act of performing, even something as small as a poem, is daunting and difficult for many people. But, that is exactly why Poetry Out Loud is so important. This tradition teaches girls how to be more confidant when speaking in front of other people, and for some, allows them to artistically express themselves in a way they may not have been able to before.

Catholic schools week is a week dedicated to celebrating our Catholic school in a fun, family and friend oriented way. Through the traditions and special events at Academy we honor and celebrate the importance of this week, making sure it is never forgotten. We are grateful for the amazing Catholic schools week we celebrate!