Fall 2021 | Issue 1
ST. MARY’S ACADEMY
Girls Rising
INSIDE Student Profiles A Day in the Life Meet a Teacher Top 10 Reads AND MORE!
what 's inside Table of Contents
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14
mad libs
06
16
faculty profile
a day in the life what’s in my bag
10
top reads of 2021
18
meet our students
12
fun & games
20
admissions info
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A DAY IN THE LIFE WITH
Gabi De Melo ‘24
Clubs & Activities: Women of Color in Action (WOCA) Admissions Ambassador Choir Theatre Favorite Book Series: Harry Potter Career Goal: Politician - she hopes to abolish the "Pink Tax"
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6:00 a.m. WAKE UP
My alarm goes off, and I get ready for the day! I love that we don’t wear uniforms at St. Mary’s, so I put on jeans and a t-shirt (I like to be comfy at school), grab a hoodie and head to the kitchen for breakfast. Today I’m eating toast with Nutella – my favorite.
7:30 a.m. CARPOOL
It’s time to leave. I carpool to school with my younger sisters – they are in 1st and 8th grades at St. Thomas More, so we drop them off first.
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8:30 a.m. TA (HOMEROOM)
I start the day with TA, which is like homeroom. I have Ms. Fleming; she is the best. At St. Mary’s you have the same TA for all four years, so you get to be good friends with the other students in your TA. I love when we have TA parties. We celebrate birthdays with ice cream and Pictionary.
8:45 a.m. LATIN
My first class is Latin with Mr. Peterson. Latin is fascinating, and Mr. Peterson is a great teacher. He’s really understanding, especially when you have other things going on.
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10:05 a.m.
MASS/STUDY
During Mass/Study, students can choose either to go to Mass or use the time for quiet study. I’m all caught up on homework, so I’m going to Mass with my friends in the chapel. I love the singing, and it’s such a great way to connect with my school community.
11:05 a.m.
HONORS GEOMETRY We are studying surface area and volume and practicing writing proofs. It’s a challenging subject, but our teacher makes it interesting.
12:25 p.m. LUNCH
I’m starving! Today my lunch is spaghetti. I skip the microwaves in the Café and eat it cold because I don’t want to miss meeting my friends. I head to the gym, and they are waiting for me on the bleachers. We make plans to eat lunch off campus tomorrow and decide on Pizza Schmizza. Conversation turns to the afternoon, and my friends and I make plans to go for coffee after school. I text my mom to let her know.
1:10 p.m. ENGLISH
My last class for today is English. We are reading Much Ado About Nothing. This is my first experience with Shakespeare. It’s no Harry Potter, but I really like it.
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2:30 p.m. ACTIVITY BLOCK This is a chance to meet with teachers, catch up on homework or participate in activities. I’m headed to choir practice. I love to sing, and today we are practicing the St. Mary’s Alma Mater, “All Hail to Thee, St. Mary’s.”
3:00 p.m. SCHOOL’S OUT
After a stop at my locker, I meet my friends, and we walk to Starbucks where we will hang out and work DINNER on homework until ~ my mom can pick me up. My mom makes a family favorite tonight, pao de queijo, a traditional Brazilian cheese bread.
6:30 p.m.
5:30 p.m. GAME TIME
My sisters and I love to play board games together, and we’re currently in the middle of an epic
Monopoly match.
7:30 p.m. I help my mom clean up dinner and spend a little more time with my family before finishing my homework and getting ready for bed.
Thanks for spending the day with me! Girls Rising FAll 2021 | 5
What's in my
1. TENNIS RACKET AND BALLS: It’s tennis season, so I have my racket and tennis balls for practice at Willamette tennis courts. I love playing tennis at SMA; it’s a great way to connect with friends while also playing a sport I love. 2. SUNGLASSES: Sunglasses are a necessity for grabbing lunch with friends outside or socializing on the SMA balcony overlooking downtown Portland! 3. WATER BOTTLE: I carry my water bottle with me everywhere. I love my water bottle because it is reusable and sustainable; these traits are very important to me as a leader of the Environmental Justice Club. Even when I’m not in school, I bring my water bottle on hikes and travel with it wherever I go!
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4. PENCIL POUCH: My pencil pouch holds all of my important writing utensils: pens, pencils, sharpies, highlighters, and my Apple Pencil. Sometimes it also holds Post-it notes for annotating books or hair ties for when I need to pull my hair back during science labs.
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bag?
5. FOLDER: My purple folder holds my notes and assignments for biology. In science classes, we use online textbooks that allow us to annotate and mark up important sections, which makes note-taking so much easier! 6. GREEN NOTEBOOK: I use my green notebook for my AP English Language & Composition class. The notebook is filled with pages regarding class discussions, strategies for timed writes, and observations about class readings!
Lucie ‘22
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7. SNACK: I always bring a snack to make sure I am not hungry in classes throughout the day! I like to eat my snacks during breaks between classes where we have time to relax and talk with friends!
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8. IPAD: I bring my iPad to all of my classes. While we don’t always use it in class, the iPad is super helpful for planning and keeping organized. My favorite app, “Notability”, allows me to create subject folders for each of my classes in order to effectively organize all of my online documents. With my iPad keyboard case, I can easily write essays and do homework. 9. BOOK: I always have a book with me just waiting to be read. This book is for my PSU US History class. It’s filled with passages from historical documents that we read and discuss in class.
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’ n i l Fee ... Good d l u o h s I like
Wearing class colors during the Spirit Walk.
d. l ie F n a m k c u B t a Warm-ups
Always wear your safety go
The SMA Beta Blues Robotics Squad – the only all-girls team in the state! Girls Rising Fall 2021 | 8
oggles!
PE class options include Dance!
Decorating Christmas stockings for the annual holiday service project.
Freshman orientation!
Working out with friends in the Fitness Center. Girls Rising Fall 2021 | 9
TOP 10 BOOK The library, aka “The Hive” is a hub of activity, led by Ellie Gilbert, our Hivearian!
t r e b l i G Ellie 1. Love & Gelato by Jenna Evans Welch Lina is spending the summer in Tuscany, but she isn’t in the mood for Italy’s famous sunshine and fairy tale landscape. She’s only there because it was her mother’s dying wish that she get to know her father. All Lina wants to do is go back home. But then she is given a journal that her mom had kept when she lived in Italy. Suddenly Lina’s uncovering a magical world of secret romances, art, and hidden bakeries. This book is perfect if you are looking for a lighthearted book with just the right amounts of adventure, romance, and heartwarming sentiment.
................ 2. The Falconer by Dana Czapnik New York, 1993. Seventeenyear-old Lucy Adler, a street-smart, trash-talking baller, is often the only girl on the public basketball courts. Lucy describes herself as a “pizzabagel” (she is half-Jewish, half-Italian) and she is in unrequited love with her best friend and pick-up teammate Percy. This is a great coming-of-age story with a terrific, believable, nuanced main character.
3. I am Malala by Malala Yousafzai Although many of us now recognize Malala and are somewhat familiar with her story, most folks haven’t read her memoir. You will not believe how inspiring and compelling it is to hear her story in her own words.
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RECS FROM 4. Fresh Ink: An Anthology
the hive
Looking for a great read without a long time commitment? Then you need this book! This book is a collection of short pieces from thirteen of the most recognizable YA authors writing today.
5. The Bone Witch by Rin Chupeco A story of scorned witches and sinister curses, The Bone Witch is the start of a dark fantasy trilogy, perfect for fans of Serpent & Dove and The Cruel Prince.
6. Not Our Summer by Casie Bazay This novel is packed with humor, fun, and relatable awkwardness. Five trips, two cousins, one family feud, and a summer that will change their lives forever.
7. Sunkissed by Kasie West A lighthearted and swoony contemporary YA romance about a girl who finds that a summer spent at a family resort isn’t as bad as she imagined . . . and that falling in love is filled with heartache, laughter, and surprises!
8. Good Girl’s Guide to Murder by Holly Jackson
An addictive must-read mystery with shades of Serial and Making a Murderer about an investigation turned obsession, full of twists and turns and with an ending you’ll never expect.
9. Moloka’i by Alan Brennert This richly imagined novel, set in Hawai’i more than a century ago, is an extraordinary epic of a littleknown time and place---and a deeply moving testament to the resiliency of the human spirit.
10. Pet by Akwaeke Emezi There are no monsters anymore, or so the children in the city of Lucille are taught. Jam and her best friend, Redemption, have grown up with this lesson all their life. But when Jam meets Pet, a creature made of horns and colors and claws, who emerges from one of her mother’s paintings, she must reconsider what she’s been told.
For more book ideas and information about what’s happening in the hive, follow @sma_hive on Instagram!
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n FuND GAMES A
Help our Student y a w r e h Find to class!
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SMA'd Libs MY SHADOW VISIT STORY!
Today I am visiting St. Mary’s Academy. When I walk in the red brick building, the halls are filled with ____________, chatting and ____________ before classes. When the morning plural noun verb-ing __________ rings, the day begins with prayer and ______________ announcements adjective noun from students. During class, my host introduces me to her teacher, Ms. ___________. noun She is known as the ____________ teacher in school. I meet my host’s welcoming adjective-est _____________ during break and instantly feel part of the SMA community. Her plural noun friends ____________ their favorite Starbucks drinks while talking about their verb upcoming weekend plans. They make me feel so _____________. In our next class, we adjective learn about ___________, and girls raise their ______________ to answer the teacher’s body part-plural plural noun questions. Girls lead class discussions, and the teachers encourage participation! The cafeteria is packed with _____________, and I use my café coupon to buy ___________. My host plural noun food and I ______________ to a classroom for her club meeting. After lunch, I say goodbye to verb my host to tour the school and neighborhood. Going to school in downtown Portland provides many opportunities for SMA students. They can ____________ in the Park Blocks or ride the verb _____________to Pioneer Courthouse Square. The day went by so ____________. I can’t noun adverb wait to tell my family all about my _____________ visit! adjective Girls Rising Fall 2021 |14
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FACULTY PROFILE
ms. whitty Ms. Whitty is an English teacher AND a St. Mary’s alumna. This is her fourteenth year of teaching and seventh at SMA. When not in the classroom, you can often find her high in the sky in a hot air balloon or gathering flowers for a bouquet or floral crown. You can see her beautiful creations @wild.thyme.flowers.
......................... What do you love about teaching English? Teaching merges three things I love deeply: learning, literature, and humanity. I’ve always loved working with young adults because they bring energy, fresh perspectives and a willingness to grow. Sharing my love of learning and literature with young people and experiencing the content through their eyes is incredibly fulfilling and life-giving for me! What’s the best part of teaching? My students. They inspire and motivate me every single day. They are kind and powerful and hardworking. I am so lucky to spend my days among the incredible young women of St. Mary’s!
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What is your favorite book? Why? That’s an impossible question to answer! I have many, many favorite books. I’ll give you a few of my favorite authors: Toni Morrison, Wallace Stegner, Virginia Woolf, Shani Mootoo.
Craft Corner Ms. Whitty loves to create with flowers and many St. Mary’s students have joined her in making floral crowns. Now you can, too.
What inspires you to teach at SMA? SMA is my home away from home. My years at SMA made me into the confident and passionate individual I am today. I know that SMA also instilled strength and determination in me, as well as a love of learning for learning’s sake. I am deeply passionate about educating young women and elevating their voices. For me, there is no better place to make a difference in the world.
Start with plenty of flowers that have a long stem!
Cut a small hole through the middle of the stem, without breaking it in half.
How do you spend your time outside of school? I am an avid reader, skier, runner, camper, and yogi. During the summer months, my husband and I operate our hot air balloon company. I also have a florist business and create wedding flowers. Both are very different from teaching but are so much fun! Above all, I love spending time with my family! What’s something you want every student who comes through your classroom to know? I want my students to know that they are not just a student to me. I want them to feel happy and safe in my classroom. As such, their whole self matters to me. I want them to feel supported intellectually, but I equally want them to feel mentally and emotionally supported. I also want them to know that writing takes time and practice. They should be patient with themselves and work hard. The reward will come!
Place the flower in the hole you just made
Repeat this process on each stem until You reach a good length
“Close” your crown by Putting a hole in The stem around the first flower on the other end. TA DA! Girls Rising Fall 2021 | 17
meet our Why did you choose St. Mary's? I chose St. Mary’s because I loved how welcoming and engaged the community was when I came for my shadow visit. Plus, I was excited by the wide range of leadership opportunities that are offered.
Ella ‘22
Your favorite SMA tradition: Cookie Wednesday! Or maybe the Welcome Assembly.
Favorite thing to do with friends: Adventures in the outdoors! Favorite movie: The Sound of Music Song you love to belt out loud: “Part of Your World” from The Little Mermaid
Why did you choose St. Mary’s? I chose SMA because of the community between students and teachers. Everyone is so supportive and is always rooting for you. Your favorite SMA tradition: Week of Joy dodgeball `
Female role model: Beyonce
Your go-to school lunch spot: Pizza Schmizza Song you love to belt out loud: “Don’t You Worry Bout A Thing” By Tori Kelly
Lexi ‘22 Girls Rising Fall 2021 | 18
students Why did you choose St. Mary's? I was awestruck by the students’ confidence. I was, and continue to be, constantly impressed with the young women that fill the halls of St. Mary’s. Your go-to school lunch: Chipotle, especially when I have sports after-school. Who is your role model: Naomi Osaka Favorite movie: Mamma Mia! Song you love to belt out loud: “Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go” by Wham!
Adrienne ‘24
Why did you choose St. Mary’s? I love the environment. Everyone strives to do their best but also help others do the same! The community is so supportive because of the all girls aspect. Your favorite SMA tradition: TA parties! Your go-to school lunch or afterschool snack: Peanut butter banana sandwiches are pretty great Favorite movie: Ocean’s 8
3 2 ‘ a i l e Am
Song you love to belt out loud: Any song by Taylor Swift
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WANT TO LEARN MORE
about sma?
There are so many opportunities for you to explore St. Mary’s! Join our email list and follow us on Instagram to hear about our next event! @smapdx_admissions
2021-22 Admissions checklist
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Shadow visits for 8th graders | October – December High School Placement Test | December 4 and 8 Admissions and financial aid application deadlines | January 14 Merit-scholarship essay(s) due | January 24 Family interviews | January-February Teacher recommendations due | February 2 Admission decisions emailed | March 11 Enrollment fee due | March 30 Start your application online at smapdx.org/admissions
pen Join us for O
House
021 | 1-4pm October 10, 2open-house smapdx.org/
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St. Mary’s Academy 1615 SW 5th Ave. Portland, OR 97201 smapdx.org @smapdx
Summer Program Camps designed with girls in mind!
Leadership | ARTS | Theatre | Science | Athletics smapdx.org/summer-camp