Beyond the Academy January 2021

Winter 2021 1 Lilliam Paetzold’s ’84 Welcome 2 Raynelle Duronslet ’98 -Dance program

4 Liliana Somma ’94, owner of

6 Joelle Rosser, MD, ’03

Infectious Disease Fellow, Stanford University

8 Making a Difference 10 Michelle Porchia ’70

School of Dance and Music

12 Bri Berlin ’05

5 Mind, Body, Spirit Event

13 Founders Day

14 Women Helping Women 16 Alumnae Feature Writers Kristin Callaghan Giuliana Battaglini ’13 Design Stacie Martinez, The Lucky Bandana

WELCOME FROM MS. PAETZOLD

Like many of you, I’ve devoted time recently to reflect on the past year. Although it posed significant challenges, it provided valuable opportunities as well. It certainly tested the limits of our flexibility and perseverance. At the same time, however, I saw us all expand our capacity for compassion, patience, selfcontrol, and empathy. This year enabled us to translate growth mindset and habits of mind from inspirational slogans on classroom posters to actual muscles that many days felt woefully overworked. Together we honed in real time the requisite skills for happy, healthy, productive futures.

I invite you to see the evidence of our growth in these pages.

You’ll see strong, confident alumnae who are making a difference in their communities. Learn how our faculty and staff have worked tirelessly not only to keep our students on track academically, but also to maintain the connections that are vital to girls’ social-emotional health. Meet the students who, despite losing so much this year, are supporting the education of other young women in Los Angeles, Honduras, and Uganda.

There’s no doubt that 2020 has both revealed our true strength and helped define who we’ll be in the future -- both as individuals and as a community. I am especially grateful that our faith has connected us throughout. That faith has nourished us this past year and will fuel our hope for a 2021 in which we can safely be learning, working, and growing together. As I seek to choose hope each day, I’m inspired by a prayer from Melannie Svoboda, SND: “God of hope, help me to live joyfully in the imperfect world, the world of the good, the bad, and the ambiguous. May I live in this real world with enthusiasm, and not become disheartened by some of the negative things I see and experience. May I daily choose to have hope because I have a vision that goes beyond the immediate or the readily visible. May I bet with my whole life that a better world is not only possible, she is on her way. Give me the quiet grace to hear her breathing. Amen.”

In Notre Dame, Lilliam Paetzold ’84 President / Head of School

Left: Icarus Reimagined, Grace Kim, ’21 1

An alumna and the director of the NDA dance department for the past 15 years, Raynelle Duronslet ’98 is passionate about sharing her love for dance with her students. She understands the importance of creating balance between academic rigor and the need for self-expression, a balance she first learned as a Notre Dame student.

“I can’t remember a time in my life when I didn’t have dance...it always felt like my first language,” said Mrs. Duronslet. “It was and still is the best way I can express myself, better than words. Dance taught me about persistence, commitment, sacrifice, work ethic, decision making, prioritizing, empathy... I could go on about all the lessons dance has taught me. But ultimately dance had a profound effect on the person I became and it’s these same lessons that I try to instill in my students.”

With a Bachelor of Science in business administration from Haas School of Business at UC Berkeley and her Master of dance education from Cal State Long Beach, Mrs. Duronslet brings a unique skill set to her position and has developed the department into a soughtafter program among Catholic schools. She finds joy in the artistic process when creating choreography as well as planning performance opportunities throughout the year.

“The dance department is a comprehensive program geared towards inexperienced and experienced dancers alike. Consisting of five levels -- Introduction to Dance, 2

Intermediate Dance I and II, Advanced Dance, and Advanced Dance Performance -- students progress through coursework in technique, learning different styles of dance through choreography, performance studies, dance composition, and dance history,” said Mrs. Duronslet. “At a time when most schools have lost their performing arts departments or can only offer a class here and there, our comprehensive program is offered to our students during their daily schedule. The department is intentionally designed to not only help our students challenge themselves and grow while with us but also to prepare our students for collegiate dance.

With a heavy emphasis on the artistic process and dance analysis, our students are well prepared to thrive in programs beyond NDA. Many students who have gone on to pursue dance in college tell me that they could excel during the audition process and subsequent coursework because the topics, ideas, and dance movement studies were familiar to them and they were equipped with the vocabulary to analyze dance and express it for themselves.”

Growing up in the entertainment industry, Mrs. Duronslet made her first television appearance at the age of seven. She continued to book dancing roles in Disney movies, sitcoms, and television specials under the tutelage of Debbie Allen. After many years of training in ballet, jazz, modern, tap, hiphop, and cultural dance styles, she grew up to pursue dance professionally and worked with many musical

artists such as Beyoncé, Will Smith, Mary J. Blige, and Usher, to name a few. Although she loved the experience of touring internationally as a professional dancer, she considers teaching her greatest accomplishment.

“Dance education inherently teaches 21st century learning skills and habits of mind. With our emphasis on teaching the process of choreography, students practice problemsolving, critical thinking, selfdirection, and critical reflection,” said Mrs. Duronslet. “They start with a blank slate, are encouraged to ask questions, research and gather information, decide on their intent and structure, make connections between the information and movement, embrace exploration, collaborate with others, accept and utilize critiques, make revisions, and then present their finished work to their peers and dance community. It’s important to note that this process doesn’t only build a great movement artist but these skills also transfer to becoming an innovative, creative thinker who is ready to explore the complexities of a problem with confidence, show empathy when considering multiple perspectives, and become a productive member of society and in her future career.”

To experience students’ most recent work, view the Fine Arts Night performances at vpaatnda.org.

RAYNELLE DURONSLET ’98 SHARES UNIVERSAL LANGUAGE OF DANCE

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LILIANA SOMMA ’94 INSPIRES BOTH ENTREPRENEURSHIP AND DANCE

From the day she was born, Liliana Somma, ’94, was destined to dance. Her Italian immigrant mother had dreamed of becoming a dancer in Italy but couldn’t afford the classes. Instead, she named her daughter after famous Italian ballerina Liliana Cosi and hoped her love of dance would pass on to her own Liliana. Liliana started dance class at age 3, before she spoke a word of English. It started as a fun hobby as her parents pressured her to become a doctor or a lawyer. As Liliana grew into her own as a teenager, she opened her own dance business the summer before her senior year at NDA. “Lil’ Dancers” was an after school dance program for children throughout Los Angeles. After Liliana graduated from Loyola Marymount University with a Bachelor of Science in biochemistry, she decided to expand her “Lil’ Dancers” business and open Studio 1137, a one room dance studio in Hermosa Beach.

However, Liliana thought this was a “temporary gig, until I figured out what I was going to do with my life.”

Liliana quickly grew her one room studio to a multi-studio enterprise in the South Bay with three studios through Manhattan Beach, Hermosa Beach, and Redondo Beach. Liliana credits her success to finding a mentor, Sam Beckford. Sam is a Canadian violin teacher who opened a school of music and dance. Sam convinced her to add music to the already existing dance program.

“Since my hubby was also a musician, it was a no brainer to add music to the current dance program.” During one of Sam’s seminars, Liliana walked right up to him and said “I’m so going to beat you!” She claims that because she saw someone else do it, she knew she could do it too. She owes this tenacity and grit to her NDA education where it “gave [her] the tools to armor up and go into the world; not just in terms of college preparation but also in terms of resiliency.

NDA expects more of you.” Like many, her French teacher Madame Vogler was the highlight of her NDA experience and 4

taught her life lessons both inside and outside the classroom.

Liliana’s resilience came in handy when her studio was hit by the COVID-19 pandemic. How could you run a dance studio, let alone performances on stage, with physical distancing and masks?!

Liliana decided to “harness [her] rebel self” and commit to an in-person live dance recital, a feat no other South Bay dance studio had done successfully during the pandemic. She booked an outside venue, built a 70 foot stage, created individual dance “boxes” on the floor with tape 12 feet apart, and had all her students dance within their box. She made the impossible possible and taught her students, and herself, what you can accomplish if you think creatively.

Nominated most likely to become a nun in 8th grade, Liliana was painfully shy and dance taught her to be confident.

“Teaching dance is not about the choreography, but about the child and

how the child is seeing themselves.”

Liliana’s studio and teaching style has made a difference in the lives of her tens of thousands of former and current students. “Liliana was such an inspiration to me growing up. She was confident, successful, and always seemed happy to be with us. When I learned she went to NDA, I wanted to go to NDA!” says Giuliana Battaglini ’13, director of advancement, who took her first dance class with Liliana at Studio 1137 in 2000.

MIND, BODY, SPIRIT EVENT CONNECTS ALUMNAE On October 3, 2020, NDA alumnae came together for a virtual event designed to provide opportunities to nurture mind, body, and spirit.

This event was for alumnae, by alumnae, with 12 graduates leading sessions on everything from COVID-19 to Kairos. The event had alumnae participants from each decade of graduating classes including alumnae from the 1950s! We’d like to give a special shoutout to the class of 2013 which had the most alumnae attendees! Thank you to our alumnae speakers who took the time out of their busy schedules to lead this event. “I couldn’t have done this event without the support of our alumnae leaders! We designed the sessions together and met via Zoom numerous times leading up to the event. I feel so blessed to have alumnae in such a variety of different fields that could lend their time and talent to teaching their fellow alumnae,” says Giuliana Battaglini ’13, director of advancement.

“The Mind, Body, and Spirit virtual event gave me the opportunity to reconnect and meet NDA girls and women across the country. A highlight for me was being led in a time of prayer and meditation

by Sister Marie Paul, who was my principal, as she played a vital role in my formation as a young woman. Also, meeting and seeing various NDA women across many generations was a memorable experience because we all have a mutual bond and we were able to laugh and share deeply emotional stories of our time at NDA. I am grateful I participated and look forward to the next one.”

- Amanda Ayres ’99, attendee

Sessions from the day included: Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion presentation with Lawrence Alexander Travel Sicily (Virtually) with Connie Costa ’98 Stretching with Carina ‘14 and Giulia Marsella ’15 Prayer Service with Marie Paul Grech, SND Lunch Breakout Room with current NDA students History of Voting and Tips to Be Civically Engaged in Election Season with Katherine Irajpanah ’15 Socially Conscious Alumnae Owned Businesses with ​Claudia Rojas ’92 and Claire Ellis ’14 COVID-19 Explained with Joelle Rosser, MD ’03 Innergize! With Michelle Porchia ’70 Dance it Out with Raynelle Duronslet ’98 Living the 4th Kairos Catch Up with Barbara King ’13 and Kristen Rodriguez ’13 Mindfulness with Rachael Garcia ’93 Community Service Activity with Brittany Sorrentino, MA ’03 5

COVID QUESTIONS ANSWERED An Interview with Joelle Rosser, MD, ’03, Infectious Disease Fellow, Stanford University *Disclaimer: This article is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.

Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition or COVID-19.

Joelle Rosser, MD ’03 is an infectious disease fellow at Stanford University and answered our burning questions about the virus that shook the world. After completing her undergraduate degree at UCSD, Joelle moved to Tanzania where she started a non-profit organization Elimu Africa supporting secondary school education for young women.

While there, she also worked with a local women’s group leading health initiatives in a rural community in the foothills of Mt Kilimanjaro. She earned her medical degree from Emory University in 2014, spent an additional year researching barriers to cervical cancer screening in rural Kenya, and then completed her Internal Medicine residency at the University of Washington. Her current research focuses on emerging infectious diseases and climate change. Most recently she has been working intently on COVID-19 research in the U.S. and with global health partners abroad.

What actually is COVID-19?

The coronavirus disease, or COVID-19, is an infectious respiratory illness caused by the virus SARS-CoV-2 (severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2).

COVID-19 can present with a variety of symptoms, ranging from no symptoms at all to life-threatening respiratory failure.

It spreads primarily by droplets and in some situations by aerosol transmission.

People are most infectious a day or so before they develop symptoms and early during the symptomatic period. The best way to decrease your risk of getting this 6

infection is to 1) limit contact with other people as much as possible particularly indoors, 2) wear a mask whenever you are out in public or around people outside of your ‘bubble,’ 3) wash your hands.

definitely wouldn’t want to get the flu and coronavirus together.

How does the vaccine process work? Are there risks to taking it early?

What do you think about other countries that are starting to reopen?

Scientists around the world have been working tirelessly this year to push the COVID-19 vaccine development to warp-speed. It typically takes about 10 years to develop a new vaccine as there is usually years of work in the lab in cells, tissue cultures, and animals before it reaches human trials. There are usually three main phases of clinical trials in humans. First, a small number of healthy young adults without comorbidities are given the vaccine to check for side effects and if there is a proper immune response. Next, a few hundred patients are enrolled and are exposed to the virus after receiving the vaccine to check for efficacy. Finally, several final thousand people are enrolled while scientists continue to look for efficacy and immune response. The development and testing of COVID-19 vaccines in under a year is an impressive scientific achievement.

This has been accomplished through new molecular technologies that have steadily developed over the past decade as well as the concerted collaboration and focus on developing this vaccine.

The results from the vaccine trials for the COVID-19 vaccines approved in the U.S. so far are very promising. The vaccines show a good immune response and appear to be about 95% effective in preventing symptomatic COVID-19 disease. Common side effects after the vaccine include soreness at the injection site, fever, and muscle aches. These aren’t necessarily bad – they can just be an indication that your body is mounting an immune response and that the vaccine is working! While there are risks with any medical intervention or drug, the risk of having a severe problem from getting the vaccine is infinitesimally smaller than the risks of getting COVID-19 or even the risks of getting in a car accident! If you have a chance to get vaccinated, Dr. Rosser strongly recommends you do it.

As we’re talking about vaccines, Dr. Rosser also recommends that everyone gets the flu vaccine as healthy people die from the flu every year and you

Dr. Rosser proudly and gratefully got her vaccine last month!

“Everything is a degree of risk, use your judgment and your own risk barometer.”

Generally, whenever a place opens up, cases start to rise, but that is the nature of this disease. Dr. Rosser suggests scoping out outdoor restaurants and avoiding crowded restaurants and only dining with a small bubble of loved ones. However, she does suggest getting outside! Sunlight and exercise are great for your physical and mental health.

Do we still need to be wiping down groceries? Does it live on surfaces?

It doesn’t appear that fomite transmission (from surface to surface) is a major source of transmission. Breathing in little virus particles in the air (droplets or aerosols) that have been coughed, sneezed, or otherwise breathed out by an infected person seems to be the main source of transmission. She does sanitize her hands after touching public surfaces such as a gap pump. However, she also says “what’s much more important than wiping down groceries is avoiding gatherings and wearing a mask.”

“I try to be safe, not just for me, but also for everybody that I come in contact with.

Anyone I interact with… whether it’s the people I live with, my coworkers, or my patients… they are all at risk based on my behaviors.”

Once you have it, can you get it again?

“That’s a million dollar question!” The short answer is that it is very unlikely.

There have been only been a couple cases around the world that have been proven to be new infections. Prolonged shedding of the virus, where an infected person can still show up as positive weeks or months later, is more common. So if someone still has a positive test weeks or months later, you can think of that as ‘dead virus’ that is not causing disease and cannot be spread to other people. If someone is continuing to get better, it’s a safe bet that they are no longer infectious by 10 days after their first positive test. There are also people

who had COVID-19 and then continue to have or develop new symptoms weeks or months after their initial infection. Dr. Rosser explains that these people may have residual effects from COVID-19 but NOT ongoing or new infection with COVID-19, or alternatively, they may have a different infection – like the flu!

And the question on everyone’s mind: when will it be over?!

“That is the trillion dollar question! I don’t know! I do think that we are never going completely back to the way it was before this year. I’d say it will be at least summer of 2021 before the US gets even close to herd immunity. The timeline will also vary depending on how many people get vaccinated – you can be part of the solution by getting vaccinated when it becomes available to you.” She is also optimistic, though and says she believes “things will continue to get better, it just takes time!”

How did your work in Tanzania influence your approach to COVID-19?

“When you are used to living and working in a place that doesn’t have a ton of resources, you aren’t shocked to have to deal with it here, for example the lack of PPE. In the U.S. we are used to having access to every resource and having access immediately. That’s not true in much of the world. Thinking about triage and prioritization is less shocking to me based on my experiences throughout Africa. I also think a lot about how this pandemic is affecting people differently based on where they live, the color of their skin, and their access to resources – be it healthcare, information, or basic food. Disasters bring out disparities. We see that around the world where hospitals don’t have oxygen or PPE even at baseline. We also see that here in the U.S. where we have much higher rates of infection and COVID-19 death rates amongst Latinos, AfricanAmericans, homeless people, incarcerated individuals, and other vulnerable groups.

COVID-19 affects us all, but it doesn’t affect us all the same.”

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SECOND ANNUAL MAKING A DIFFERENCE Scheduled for April 17, 2021

In the Fall of 2019, the Board of Directors voted to start a new initiative, Making a Difference, to raise money for tuition assistance for our students. The board agreed to underwrite the event so that every dollar raised goes directly to tuition assistance. In our inaugural year, we raised over $220,000! This year, this initiative is more important than ever as 36 percent of our student body receives tuition assistance as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Based on current projections for the coronavirus pandemic contagion levels, we are planning to host the event again virtually this year on Saturday, April 17, 2021.

The Making a Difference Scholarship Benefit provides the opportunity for our donors and community partners to support our mission of providing a Catholic, college-preparatory high school education dedicated to educating young women to make a difference by living Gospel values. This event supports our commitment to provide educational equity for students from low-income families, helping to level the playing field and bridge the opportunity and achievement gap these students face. NDA provides an inclusive environment where each student can learn, grow, and thrive, preparing them for college and future career success.

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Key information about tuition assistance: • NDA’s tuition for 2020-21 is $20,650.

• 36% of NDA’s 285 students receive need-based financial aid ranging from $1,000 to $20,650 (full tuition) during this school year; these students would not be able to attend NDA without financial assistance.

• NDA awarded over $1 million in financial support for the 2020-2021 school year.

• Making a Difference makes up 15% of the financial aid budget; each gift is matched by 85% of other funding in order to make the most impact and help the greatest number of students.

• NDA partners with foundations, corporations and nonprofits in order to support low income families.

• The generosity of our alumnae, alumnae parents, families and friends is deeply appreciated.

Be sure to tune in on April 17 as we highlight an alumna who embodies the mission of Notre Dame Academy, Catherine Duddy Wood ’74, founder/CEO/CIO of ARK Invest. Cathie will receive our inaugural St. Julie Billiart Making a Difference Award for her work in disruptive innovation and her philanthropic commitment to the education of young women through the founding of the Duddy Innovation Center for Excellence at NDA. In addition to Cathie, we will also hear from Cristina Cuellar ’00, VP of Programming -Corporate Work Study, at Verbum Dei High School.

Don’t miss our student speakers Alondra B. ’21 and Yuleni M. ’21!

We hope you will join us as we celebrate the alumnae and current students of Notre Dame Academy on April 17, 2021 and help us reach

our goal of raising $150,000 for tuition assistance.

Sponsorship Levels: $25,000+ Julie Billiart Sponsor Provides a $5,000 award to five students $10,000+ Platinum Sponsor Provides a $2,000 award to five students $5,000+ Gold Sponsor Provides a $1,000 award to five students $2,500+ Silver Sponsor Provides a $500 award to five students

Alondra B. ’21

$1,500+ Crown Sponsor Provides a $500 award to three students $1,000+ Presidential Sponsor $500+ Crimson Sponsor $250+ Regal Sponsor $150+ Sunflower Sponsor

Guest speaker Cristina Cuellar ’00, VP of Programming - Corporate Work Study, at Verbum Dei High School

Yuleni M ’21 Catherine Duddy Wood ’74, founder/CIO of ARK Invest 9

MICHELLE PORCHIA ’70 ENCOURAGES WOMEN TO “INNERGIZE!”

Michelle Porchia ’70, understands the importance of taking time for yourself, especially during this challenging time. Michelle is the founder of inner dimensions, llc, and draws on her experience as the manager, Organizational Development and Training at HBO where she facilitated human resource seminars.

She is the author of Innergize Day: Taking Time for You and Getting Things Done: Successful Women Speak. Innergize day is the day after the autumn solstice. It’s celebrated the day after autumn begins because, like the Earth, people also need to experience a time of hibernation to prepare for renewal. During our virtual Mind, Body, Spirit alumnae event on October 3, 2020, Michelle shared some tips and tricks to help us “Innergize!”

To “innergize” is to “tap into your inner peace, inner joy, and being able to take time for you and putting yourself first.” Throughout her career, Michelle has observed that women rarely put themselves first, often saying “I don’t have time or myself” or “I’ll get to it later.”

Michelle points out that putting yourself first isn’t an act of selfishness, rather an act of selflessness so that you can utilize your energy to help others. Michelle shares six pointers to help others rest, relax, rejuvenate, and innergize.

1. Give yourself permission.

Using her Catholic faith as a main pillar of her practice, Michelle reminds us that in the creation story, God Himself rested on the seventh day. Throughout the New Testament, there are examples of Christ getting away from the crowds and choosing to rest. If God can rest, so can we! If we push ourselves too hard, our bodies will take over and force us to slow down through illness or fatigue. It is important that we take time to rest and rejuvenate.

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2. Schedule some mindless time/ rejuvenating time.

Perhaps the best way to start making time for yourself is to set an appointment. Make an appointment with yourself and put it on your calendar. Don’t use your phone, computer, or anything that could distract you from time with yourself. Even if it is just fifteen minutes a day, try something like sitting outside to drink your morning coffee. Michelle also recommends that you eat your meals without technology. Take the time to slow down.

3. Use your creativity.

With ever-changing social distancing guidelines and stay at home orders, your typical methods of self care may not be available. Michelle suggests being creative!

She is “shopping [her] pantry” to find new recipes to try. She also is using Margaret Feinberg’s Taste and See: Discovering God among Butchers, Bakers, and Fresh Food Makers cookbook to try recipes mentioned throughout the Bible (such as brussel sprouts and figs!).

4. Help others.

“We are called to be servants of God, helping others.” Little actions can make a big difference. Check on the people in your life who you think are “strong enough.” Take someone’s trash out to the curb for them. Nod or wave when walking down the street with your mask on. “You’d be surprised how this brings a smile to someone and it takes less than 30 seconds.”

5. Entrepreneurs - You are your business.

“If you are an entrepreneur, you are your business! You absolutely need to take care of yourself. If something happens to you, it hurts your business.” When our minds are rested, we tend to be more creative. With

working from home, it can be difficult to stop working. Make sure you set a cutoff time so you aren’t working into the wee hours of the morning. Michelle’s number one rule: Do not work in bed!! If you must work in your bedroom, set up a space that you can close off or shut out when it is time to stop working. Michelle also recommends getting dressed in your work clothes each day to help boost creativity.

“We were created to be human beings and we’ve become human doers.” Find whatever relaxes you and make sure you do it at least once a day.

6. Be grateful.

“Count it all joy” James 1:2-8; “I’ve learned to be content in whatever situation I’m in.” Philippians 4:11. Especially when times are hectic and unpredictable, it is important for us to see the good in things.

Michelle suggests journaling at the end of the day and coming up with three things you are grateful for each day. When you tap into your joy, it makes a difference in your everyday life. Michelle’s ability to connect with us via Zoom is one thing we at NDA are grateful for during this challenging time. “Now because of Zoom, she has become a partner with NDA on a level that we probably wouldn’t have had her as a partner at NDA. We are turning a bad situation into an opportunity. It has reconnected her back home to us” says Lilliam Paetzold ’84, president and head of school.

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BRI BERLIN ’05 REIMAGINES NDA TRADITIONS FOR OUR VIRTUAL REALITY

Among the myriad challenges associated with sustaining distance learning over the past year, none has been as daunting -- or as crucial -- as maintaining the unique traditions that NDA girls have cherished for decades. It’s a task Bri Berlin ’05, assistant head of school for student life, approaches with her characteristic optimism and organization. The key, she says, is to distill each event to its primary essence: what’s important for students and their families? What’s important to the school?

“The graduation ceremony is a great example,” said Ms. Berlin. “It’s something students have imagined for four years or more, and it’s a rite of passage for the whole family. Although there were many options for recreating it safely, our students reflected that being together as a class was their top priority.

That naturally eliminated a drive through ceremony, and instead we focused on a virtual event that gave the feeling of togetherness.”

The remote format allowed for an individual spotlight of each graduate and her family. It also featured the same key components of the 1,000-guest live event on the steps of Rosa Mystica Hall, including white caps and gowns, valedictorian and salutatorian speeches, and a dozen red roses for each graduate.

“That dozen roses connects decades of alumnae and represents the culmination of an NDA education,” said Ms. Berlin.

As an alum and assistant head of school, I wanted to see that tradition continue, even if I had to deliver them myself!”

Notre Dame Day is another tradition that unifies generations of alumnae, and one that poses a particular challenge when reimagining it for a distanced world. Although the celebration has grown significantly, the highlights have remained constant: Mass, theme, costumes, decorations, skit, dance, and volleyball.

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FOUNDERS DAY

The Founders Day parade in the fall honored Sr. Mary Joann Schlarbaum, who retired from daily work at NDA this year.

“It doesn’t matter if your class wore hats or full costumes, Notre Dame Day is the one memory that alums from 17 to 77 share,” said Ms. Berlin. “It’s the most vivid, unifying, and constant topic of discussion at every reunion.”

While she’s working hard to replicate the essence of Notre Dame Day and all Regal traditions, Ms. Berlin is focused on celebrating individual students’ milestones while strengthening the sisterhood that characterizes NDA. “Each grade level has its own distinct rite of passage whether that’s the freshman roses, junior rings, or graduation,” said Ms. Berlin. “Without closing the current chapter, you don’t feel ready to grow into the next phase. High school is a very short and yet transformative four years.

It’s important to honor those milestones as we reinforce students’ relationships with each other and with NDA.”

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BONNIE ABAUNZA ’82 INSPIRES WOMEN HELPING WOMEN

For 70 years, Notre Dame Academy students have sought to make a difference in both the school and local communities through service and philanthropy.

An NDA graduate is easily recognized by her spirit of service and compassion. For decades, our Women Helping Women campaign has not only funded an annual scholarship for an incoming ninth grader, but it has also helped support our sister school in Uganda and the South Central Los Angeles Ministry Project (LAMP).

With the world reeling from the devastating impact of COVID-19, NDA has an opportunity to once again put those values into practice with a reimagined Women Helping Women campaign. NDA has always been committed to the ideals of women helping women, both at home and in the world. This year, in conjunction with the International Day of the Girl on October 11, Notre Dame Academy launched a call to action to support our sister school, Notre Dame Academy High School in Buseesa, Uganda, Sor Maria Rosa and the Reyes Irene School for Girls in Honduras, and the South Central Los Angeles Ministry Project (LAMP). We are thrilled to partner with Bonnie Abaunza, ’82, on this project. Bonnie is a human rights activist currently working on the social impact campaign for With This Light, a documentary film on the late Sor Maria Rosa’s impact in Honduras.

At the heart of this project is our NDA Women Helping Women student ambassadors who meet weekly to develop a strategic marketing and fundraising plan to raise funds from their peers to support other young women. Our ambassadors jumped right in and planned a donation drive to align with our In-N-Out drive-through on campus. Instead of asking each girl to pay for her burger, our ambassadors requested that they donate to Women Helping Women instead. Similarly, as part of Entrepreneur Day, our students gave 10 percent of their profits to the Women Helping Women campaign. In just one day, our students raised nearly $3,000!

Sor Maria Rosa 14

THE MEMBERS OF OUR AMBASSADOR TEAM ARE:

Katherine ’22 Isabella

Noell

e ’24

Isabella

’24 Alondra

’23 ina Paul

Clarissa

Jasmine ’23

“I am inspired to be a woman helping women because I am passionate about female empowerment. WHW is a way in which I can cultivate this passion and make a direct impact on others.”

’21

’21

’22

“While working on WHW, I hope to gain a new perspective on what women around the world are experiencing. I look forward to learning new ways we can contribute to helping them as well as different ways we can connect with other people to work together to bring positive change in the lives of others. This will also help create new relationships, which are especially important during Covid-19.”

Em

ily ’2 1

“Senior year has guided me towards an interest in social justice. The prospect of helping not only families in my community but also young girls in other countries is very exciting and fulfilling.”

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CELEBRATING 70 ALUMNAE In honor of the 70th Anniversary of Notre Dame Academy, we’re celebrating 70 of our extraordinary alumnae throughout the year. Nominate an NDA alumna who has used her education to make a difference at alumnae.academy.ndasla.org!

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For more information, contact Michele White '96 Director of Admissions mwhite@ndala.com (310) 839-5289 ext. 213