Ursuline junior Elizabeth Coughlin was named one of the Ten Outstanding Norwood Youth (T.O.N.Y.) for her volunteerism in the community. The 45th Annual Awards Ceremony was recently held to honor and recognize all of the nominees for their numerous volunteer and charitable efforts in the community. These students are actively involved in the community through organizations such as their church, the Food Pantry, or My Brother’s Keeper, while others initiated their own charitable cause. Elizabeth was applauded for organizing the “Bearly” Used Book Drive at Ursuline Academy. She was quoted as saying, “I've always loved reading and I think people don’t always realize what a privilege it is to have a book. Everyone deserves to have that opportunity.” Each T.O.N.Y. winner received a plaque and a citation from Governor Baker. Guest speaker journalist Joseph Fitzgerald told the students: “The things you did, they weren't done for applause, they weren't done for attention. It speaks highly of your character.”

Congratulations to Maeghan Driscoll '17, who competed on April 16 and 17 in Dayton, Ohio at the WGI (Winter Guard International) Colorguard World Championships. After three amazing performances, St. Ann's Independent A Colorguard from Neponset took home a first place gold medal. Maeghan and St. Ann's Guard finished with a score of 96.88, outperforming 71 other Independent A colorguards from all over the world! 

Shown are Meg (third from right, front row) and the team.

 At graduation and the related ceremonies of Baccalaureate Mass and Class Day, many members of Ursuline's Class of 2015 received scholarships or awards for their efforts in academics, athletics, or community service.  Congratulations and best wishes go out to all of the deserving recipients.

Every May, dozens of Ursuline students sit for Advanced Placement exams in a wide range of subject areas.  In May of 2015, 106 seniors, juniors and sophomores took 166 exams.  Of these students, 43 achieved Scholar Status (see descriptions below) for their cumulative performance on all the tests taken in their high school career, with an  overall average score of 4.06 on a 5 point scale.

We extend our congratulations to all students who completed AP courses and sat for these rigorous exams.

AP Scholar

Scholar status is granted to students who receive scores of 3 or higher on three or more AP exams.

Caroline Ahearn '16
Abigail Alden '15
Kathryn Brady '16
Elizabeth Coughlin '16
Noella D'Souza '16
Ashton Fagan '15
Mary Glass '16
Erin Grela '16
Katherine Kearins '15
Christina Luniewicz '15
Gwendolyn Marquis '15
Bridget McAdams '15
Catherine Rockett '15
Delia Ryan '16
Alexandra Shute '16
Karina Sinha '15
Nicole Wehbe '15
Carly Whalen '15

AP Scholar with Honor

The scholar with honor designation is granted to students who receive an average of at least 3.25 on all  AP exams and scores of 3 or higher on four or more of these exams.

Amanda Boyd '15
Alina Carroll '15
Katherine Cavanaugh '15
Sydney Conti '15
Jacqueline Foley '15
Casey Gallagher '15
Erin Harten '15
Alexa Held '15
Elizabeth Joseph '15
Abigail Lake '15
Marykate Maguire '15
Eileen McAleer '15
Amy Piccolo '15
Minali Venkatesh '15

AP Scholar with Distinction

Scholars with distinction have received an average score of at least a 3.5 on all AP exams and scores of 3 or higher on five or more of these exams.

Michaela Chipman '15
Kimberly Cronin '15
Hannah Garfield '15
Sarah Garrow '15
Katherine Gioioso '15
Camille Kelley '15
Katherine Lynch '15
Katherine Murphy '15
Cassandra Nedder '15
Niamh Sutherburg '15
Mallory Whalen '15

On the Tuesday before February vacation, about twenty members of the senior class gathered during their free period and successfully registered to vote in preparation for the upcoming primaries. As we approach the Massachusetts primary election, Ursuline students will be preparing for a primary election of their own. The major Democratic and Republican party candidates will be represented by one or two members of Mrs. Curtis' Civics and Current Events class. These students will be given the opportunity to campaign and share their candidates' policies with the rest of the student body. After the campaigning period is over, students will be given the chance to choose a party and vote for the candidate of their choice to become the foremost presidential candidate of that party. The winners of UA's primary election will be announced at the end of the school day. 

 Serviam: the word means not only "I will serve" but also means "Let me serve." 

Over February break, ten Ursuline students left their homes and their comfort zones far behind, and chose to spend their vacation break serving the poor as part of the Urban Challenge at Romero Center Ministries in Camden, New Jersey.  While there, they learned that by working in service with those less fortunate, they received as much as they gave.

Each day, the ten students, accompanied by Campus Minister Katie McNally and Latin teacher Erin Cummins (who taught the students the other translation of "Serviam") would start with a prayer, and then break into two groups, each bound for a different destination in Camden or Philadelphia.  One day it was a homeless shelter and soup kitchen; another day it was a home for the elderly.  Other sites included a home for adults with multiple sclerosis and other paralyzing diseases or injuries, and a low-income Jumpstart school.  Each night ended in prayer, journaling and education on poverty with the students from Xaverian Brothers High School and St. John's in Shrewsbury.

The experience proved life-changing for the students.  Said senior Caroline Ahearn, "My favorite site was New Visions, a homeless shelter in Camden. This was the day I truly began to understand what poverty is, and that it can happen to anyone. The people we encountered are our equals in everything but opportunity, just because they happened to be born into a certain situation. This was the day I realized just how fortunate I am to have a home, food, a bed, my education, a family, everything." 

Caroline summed up the impact of the trip on her by saying, "Although it's hard not to feel guilty once you see how fortunate you actually are, it's more important to use the opportunity you've been given to do something to help those who are not as fortunate as you."

At graduation and the related ceremonies of Baccalaureate Mass and Class Day, many members of Ursuline's Class of 2016 received scholarships or awards for their efforts in academics, athletics, or community service.  Congratulations and best wishes go out to all of the graduates.

A Letter to the Seniors

By Amanda G, ‘18

Dear Seniors,

It's weird to think that you are going to be scattered across the country in a matter of months. The people that we have played sports with for years will be on someone else's teams. The faces we see everyday will spend their time in other hallways. The voices we've become so used to hear shouting down the hall will leave their final echoes in just a few short weeks.

Whether you've loved or hated high school, it's ending. As you embark on this new chapter of your life, I hope you look back on your days in the plaid fondly. I hope you remember the reindeer games, Mission Days, retreats, renditions of the school song, Class Days, and all of the other experiences that you can only get at Ursuline. I hope you remember the jokes you laughed at, the time you spent with your friends, the times you felt truly part of this community. I hope when someone asks you about high school, you smile as you think of a montage of laughter, love, and sisterhood. Because that feeling is real, and it's something that you can never really lose, because Ursuline stays with you.

College will be different for everyone. It will take you a while to get accustomed to trading the uniform for your own closet. It will take even longer for you to adjust to the boys in what always was a sea of girls. It will take your whole family time to get used to not having you there. The sounds of you singing in the shower, begging to stop at Dunkies, and typing away at homework until the early hours of the morning will be replaced with quiet. Your little siblings will struggle through homework on their own. Your room, now completely messy, will be empty and quiet. Your absence will be so felt by everyone you know.

But everyone will adjust. You will make new friends. Maybe you'll get to know a new city or state. You will learn, and you will grow, and the transition that seems scary and painful now will fade as you change. But you will never forget the years spent complaining over homework, playing sports, blaring music, talking about boys, and learning, living, and loving with your sisters. Ursuline hearts unite, no matter the distance.

Good luck. You all have amazing lives ahead of you. I hope the future holds extraordinary adventures, uncontainable joy, boundless discovery, and as much love as you have given us.

Your Ursuline Sister

These remarks were delivered by Maggie Chipman '17 to Ursuline 8th graders on the occasion of their Move Up Ceremony.

Good morning ladies, and congratulations on officially becoming high school students! You may be wondering why I am here, but, four exams from now, I'll have made it through Junior Year, and with that I'll have gained a whole lot of knowledge to pass down to you about the high school years at the Academy.

Now, when I was in eighth grade, I would have heard a speech such as this preaching "wisdom", "advice", and "experience" and said, "She doesn't know me. I'm different. I will defy these expectations. I am not going to follow her path". If any of you can recognize this rhetoric repeating in your own mind, I simply say: take this as you will, but take this from someone who has been there.

I have four cardinal rules which have governed my life and behavior for the past few years, the first of which is: never lower your standards. This is applicable to what grades you expect from yourself, what behavior you expect from others, what treatment you expect from friends or adults or a boy. Your parents, who are here this morning celebrating your accomplishments thus far at Ursuline, have raised you each to be an independent, strong-willed young woman with her own set of morals and expectations. Do not back down from that gift! You are not "no fun" or a "hardo" for being confident. Courage in your convictions is the most admirable thing you can possess at this age.

Which brings me to my second cardinal rule: learn to say no. This has the obvious association with peer pressure, but I want you to view it from an additional angle: commitment. Do not overschedule yourself. It will come back to bite you. I know you will be introduced to a plethora of new clubs and activities in the fall, all of which are wonderful! But saying no to things that you cannot handle is a very mature thing to do. This one is hard; believe me, I know. I'm working on it.

Here's another one that's kind of hard to swallow: you will fail. There will be something in your life over these next four years that you will just be bad at! For me, it was precalculus. Or, is -- I have the final in about an hour, so let's hope that “you will fail” does not come into play today! But, anyhow, the most important thing that you can take away from failure is learning how to work towards improvement. You can go from fighting for an 80 in one semester to having a 94 the next if you work hard and try to recover from your failures. Meet morning and night with your teachers and peers, be willing to put in work, and success will eventually follow.

To provide a little contrast to the blunt "YOU WILL FAIL", we have come to our fourth and final cardinal rule: you will love. You will find love in your high school years. This love comes from the friends that you make here, from the family sitting around you at this moment. And more importantly, this love is bestowed upon yourself. You will learn to love yourself. You will learn to accept your flaws. You will learn to forgive yourself when you do wrong. And the moment that you fall in love with yourself is far more rewarding than that when any other person does.

High school is a trying time. In addition to the beginning of collegiate pressure, you are going through a period of physical, mental, and emotional growth and change. So I formally liberate you in this: you are allowed to be unhappy sometimes. But, if you are unhappy, make sure it is something worth being upset about, because there is nothing worse than looking back on a situation and regretting choosing not to see the good in it. The world is built around perspective, and the majority of challenges you face will imprint themselves in your mind with the connotation you have assigned to them. Choose to see the good in things. Choose to see the good in people. And above all else, choose to see the good in yourself. You are sitting at a ceremony dedicated to your academic and social achievement in the gym-a-chap-a-torium at one of the most prestigious all girls prep schools in the state. You have already made it so far. Yes, high school is a trying time. But it will also be one of the best times of your life. Just work hard, be kind, and expect the best both from and in people, and I promise: it'll be a good four years.

On September 25, UA was well represented by the participation of 9th graders Olivia Lynch, Olivia Ryan, Mary Schiavo and Athletic Director Mike O'Connor, who all completed the 10K route of the 2016 Jimmy Fund Walk. They participated as part of Owen's Army, a team comprised of over 100 registered walkers who have participated in the past six years and raised over a half a million dollars for the DFCI in hopes of creating a future where cancer is eradicated. The team walked in honor of Owen Lynch who died of cancer at the age of three after a four month battle with rhabdomyosarcoma. Great job, UA!

By Madison Mullen '19

On Sunday, September 18th, the Ursuline Choral Group gathered with the Xaverian Chorus for a day-long retreat, joining together both spiritually and in song. This event was run by the music directors from each school, Mrs. Glancy, our recently renamed Head of Fine Arts, and Mr. Brodeur, Xaverian's music director. On this retreat, not only was music made, but the students also took part in many different activities designed to unite our communities. As is part of our Catholic tradition, the day started off in prayer, centering everyone and bringing them closer to God and their call to music. Once this ended, they began to get to know one another with icebreakers, and then worked on individual musical pieces for each school. Next, they moved to Mrs. Glancy's specialty, Scottish dancing, in pairs. Following this were humorous skits performed by small groups, with each group of kids showing off their musical talents in a unique way. Lunch was then served, during which the conversation turned to each member stating his or her background and reason for their affiliation with music. This was more of a contemplative time, a period in which the students grew closer to one another, discovering the true depth and love of music within each other.

Of course, after every quiet activity, the energy comes out and that's when the competitive events began. First there was a Music Teacher Iron Chef bake-off between both of the music directors. Sadly, Ursuline lost, to what we say was due to the lack of population in comparison to Xaverian! They had one more student than we did! Following this was an intense soccer tournament. Xaverian unfortunately won once again, even with the slight mixing up of the teams at one point, but fun was had by all. Finally, the day ended just the way it started, in prayer and in song. The participants spent the entirety of this time by working on musical pieces for their upcoming concert scheduled for Thursday, February 2, 2017.

Overall, this was a very entertaining event, getting the brother and sister schools to meet one another and share in a shared passion of music with each other. They really expressed themselves in everything they did and in addition to the upcoming concert, they plan to meet up a few more times to sing and catch up as a community. All involved would like to thank Mrs. Glancy and Mr. Brodeur for everything they did to make this possible.

The days of summer are dwindling and we've already started welcoming students back to Lowder Street for Fall Sports Tryouts...the start of the 2012-2013 school year is upon us!

The Class of 2013 came back to campus to kick off their senior year at the Senior Salute on Wednesday, August 22. While the seniors munched on lunch and enjoyed ice cream sundaes, they discussed their plans for the exciting year ahead, including the Making Strides Against Breast Cancer Walk in October. The Student Council President and Vice-President, along with the Senior Class President and Vice-President, addressed their classmates and introduced their theme for the school year: community.

And perhaps most importantly, the seniors voted on the color of their special senior polo shirt, with light blue coming out on top with the most votes! So come September, look for the seniors, clad in light blue polos, fostering community in the hallways of Ursuline!

Last Tuesday, September 4 was the official start to the 2012-2013 school year!

Students in grades 7-9 came to campus for a half day of school and a Welcome Picnic. 10th grade "Big Sisters" also joined in on the fun at the picnic, helping the 7th graders get acclimated to their new home at UA.

It was a rainy day, but the girls didn't let the weather dampen their spirits, even when the picnic was moved inside to the Tea Room. After a delicious lunch of barbecue chicken, students and teachers alike got to know each other better with a game of "Autograph Bingo." They had bingo cards where each square contained a unique or interesting fact and they had to find others who fit the facts and ask them to "autograph" their card to get "Bingo!"See more pictures from the Welcome Picnic in a slideshow in the Media Player on UrsulineAcademy.net!

The new school year also means some new faces at UA! We are thrilled to welcome our newest faculty and staff members to the community:

• Mrs. Mary Lesa Brady, Curriculum Integration Specialist
• Mrs. Susan Curlett, Director of Admissions
• Mr. Alex Kuznezov, History
• Mrs. Jennifer Manning, Religion & Campus Ministry
• Ms. Natalie Mayo, English & Religion
• Dr. Catherine Muldoon, Assistant Principal for Students & Faculty
  
• Mrs. Taryn Powers Surabian '03, Biology

L to R: Natalie Mayo, Jennifer Manning, Catherine Muldoon, Mary Lesa Brady, Susan Curlett, Taryn Surabian and Alex Kuznezov

Several familiar faces will also have new roles this year:

• Ms. Mary-Kate Tracy '94 will assume a new full-time role as Campus Minister, assisted by Mrs. Marge Costa.
• Mr. Michael Sarro has been promoted to Associate Director of Advancement.
• Mr. Michael Mayer will be the chair of the English Department.
• Mrs. Susan Glancy will now teach Religion to Grades 7 and 8, in addition to music.

Welcome to all the new members of our community, and welcome back to all returning. We look forward to another great year at Ursuline Academy!

Last week, President Whiting and Principal Keaney hosted four Welcome Coffees for parents of students in grade seven, in grade eight, in grade nine and in grades ten through twelve.

Parents joined President Whiting and Principal Keaney to discuss life at Ursuline, from events to look forward to throughout the school year to new course offerings this year to Peer Ministry and service opportunities. Parents can view a full summary of the events by logging in to Edline.

These Coffee and Conversation events are offered once a semester, giving parents a chance to hear updates from the President and Principal throughout the school year. Parents are encouraged to bring their questions to this dialogue with the Ursuline administration.

Here's to another great year at Ursuline Academy!

Ursuline Academy's new and improved Guidance Office was officially unveiled last Wednesday, September 12!

The expansion and renovation of the Guidance Office was made possible through the Senior Parent Gift of the Class of 2012. Each year, the parents of the senior class donate to a specific improvement project for the campus as their class' legacy to the Academy. Read about past projects on the Senior Parent Gift page!

On September 12, parents of the Class of 2012 and members of the Senior Parent Gift came together to celebrate the completion of their project. The co-chairs of the committee cut the red ribbon and officially opened the new Guidance Office for the 2012-2013 school year!

Fundraising for the new office began last fall, when the parents of the Class of 2012 selected a big project with a big fundraising goal for their Senior Parent Gift. The price tag for the Guidance Office renovations was $45,000.

But the response from the parents was as big as the project it supported, with a record-breaking 75% participation rate, the highest ever for a Senior Parent Gift! Together, the parents of the Class of 2012 raised $57,250 to expand and renovate the Ursuline Academy Guidance Office.

Construction began as soon as school let out in June 2012 and all the improvements were finished in time for the start of the 2012-2013 school year, when the members of the Guidance Department moved into their spacious new office. The new and improved Guidance Office includes a conference room with space to meet with college admissions representatives, students and parents, and a more welcoming reception area for students and visitors.

Thank you to the parents of the Class of 2012 for this lasting legacy for Ursuline Academy. It truly is a gift that will touch all students who walk the halls of Ursuline, and the Ursuline community is so grateful to each of you!

Special thanks to co-chairs Michael and Cathy Haynes and James and Bridget Brochu, and the Senior Parent Gift Committee for all their hard work: Rita Ledonne, John McDonough, Chris Sulmonte, Robert and Theresa Wilber and Susan Mulligan.

Over 300 members of the Ursuline community gathered together on Sunday, September 23 to celebrate the new school year at the annual Family Mass & Barbecue.

Father Oscar Pratt, a frequent presider at Ursuline masses, celebrated this first mass of the 2012-2013 school year. He reminded the Ursuline community of our many blessings with his signature start to a homily: "God is good, all the time! And all the time, God is good!"

After mass, parents, students, siblings and faculty enjoyed a lunch of burgers and hot dogs along with games on the field behind the school. It was a sunny afternoon, with perfect weather for the kids to enjoy the soccer and clown board wiffle ball toss games. See pictures from the event in this slideshow!

Many thanks to the 18 parent volunteers who helped make this event a success, as well as the students from SOS (Students Offer Service) who helped run the games!

At Ursuline, all our students are taught to strive for their dreams and reach for the sky. Each fall, our newest students learn this lesson quite literally when they take a day trip to do a team building high ropes course!

Students in Grades 7 and 9 participate in a trip to Hale Reservation in Westwood in September of each school year. They spend a day at the reservation doing a high ropes course and team building activities where they must work together to find creative solutions. These trips to Hale help the girls connect as a class and build trust and camaraderie. This year, the 9th grade went to Hale on Friday, September 14 and 7th grade went on Friday, September 21.

"The purpose of this day is for the students to cultivate their leadership skills and create a bond with their classmates," said Director of Guidance Mary Ferrucci. "Students also encourage and support each other as they partake in individual tasks on the high ropes."

Though the high ropes course might be the most difficult task of the day, it is also one of the most rewarding. "It was so fun! The high ropes were the best," said 7th grader Julianne. Her classmate Stephanie agreed: "My favorite was the high ropes course," she said. "The whole day helped us get to know everyone better and become close friends."

Enjoy the rest of these photos from the day trips to Hale:

The 9th graders take a break from the high ropes!

Watch your step!

Grade 7 after a fun day at Hale!

Flying high at Hale!

Their t-shirts proclaimed the message "Think Pink," and that is just what over 230 members of the Ursuline community did when they braved the cold and rainy weather to walk in the 2012 Making Strides Against Breast Cancer Walk.

Students, faculty, parents and even a few siblings came together in Boston on Sunday, October 14 to walk in support of those fighting breast cancer, survivors and those who have lost their courageous battle with this terrible disease. 

This year's walk marks the 3rd time that UA has been among the proud participants in the Making Strides High School Challenge. During the opening presentations on the stage at the Hatch Shell, Ursuline was honored for their fundraising for the 2011 Making Strides Walk, along with Catholic Memorial School and Oliver Ames High School. With $18,700 raised for the American Cancer Society in 2011, UA came in second among these three schools and was a proud recipient of the High School Challenge Honorable Mention Award!

This year, Ursuline has raised over $11,000 so far! If you would like to make a last-minute donation, you can do on the Ursuline team page on the Making Strides Against Breast Cancer Walk site.

Check out more pictures from yesterday's wonderful event!

The students in Señora Levin's Spanish III class took a field trip to Argentina, all without leaving their seats in the classroom on Lowder Street!

Señora Levin arranged for the UA girls to meet students at the Colegio Nacional de Monserrat in Argentina over Skype, a program that enables video chats via the Internet. The Spanish III students spoke with Professor Gargiulo of the Colegio and several of her technology students during class last week, using the Smartboard in their classroom.

"I think it is good that we are Skyping with students from another country, because we are learning about what their school is like and what they are learning compared to what we learn," said Kate Fitzgerald '15. Kate and her classmates read Clarín, Argentina's largest newspaper, as part of their class assignments each week, so they were able to talk to the Argentinean students about their culture.

The students from Argentina took the UA class on a tour of their school, which features beautiful Spanish colonial architecture and has been a functioning school for more than three centuries. "The school was gorgeous and represented so much for them," said Lindsay March '14. "The historical significance and background of their school building was really neat."

This "field trip" was also a great opportunity for the Ursuline students to practice speaking Spanish with their new Argentinean friends. "I think it is really cool to learn about their culture and language, and it also really helps our Spanish to be able to talk to them," said Catherine Rockett '15.

Church tradition holds that November is the month for remembering departed relatives and friends, and we are doing that in several special ways here at Ursuline this month.

On Thursday, November 1, Ursuline celebrated All Saints' Day Mass. During the offertory, a basket filled with the names of deceased loved ones and family members was brought up and placed at the altar. Students, faculty and staff, parents, alumnae and friends of the school submitted the names of these family members and loved ones through our website, so that we could remember them during the liturgy. The Ursuline school community prayed especially for those people during the All Saints' Day mass, and will continue to do so during morning prayer and prayer services throughout the rest of the month. The basket will reside next to the altar in the chapel in our convent on campus for the rest of the month, with our prayers and gratitude for their lives.

Stephanie Gioioso '13 brings the basket of names up at the offertory during mass.

Students also wrote the names of deceased loved ones and family members on cut-out footprints, which are now decorating the hallways of the school. These cut-out footprints serve as a reminder of the footprints each person left on our hearts, and the lasting influence they continue to have on our lives.

The deceased loved ones and family members of all those in the Ursuline family will be in the thoughts and prayers of the school community for the remainder of the month of November.