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St. Mary’s Academy is an independent Catholic school founded by the Sisters of Loretto whose mission-shaping guideline “…encourages an approach to all of life that promotes mutuality, collaboration and compassion…” Since the first Loretto school in 1812, the spirit of welcoming openness is always present. Each year, students live this mission through various travel and immersion experiences.
Middle school students experience a curriculum that emphasizes cultural studies, with a focus on understanding the lives of their peers throughout the world. From the first few months of the school year, students set off on travels with classmates and teachers. For the eighth consecutive year, the sixth- and seventh-grade classes have made their way to Diamond Tail Ranch. Graciously hosted by former board chair, Mike Duncan and his family, students sleep in tents, team build with teachers, fish, hike and learn more about themselves and others.
The eighth grade travels to the Cochiti Pueblo in New Mexico and recently completed their fourth trip in October. With the Cochiti eighth-grade class, students engage in a collaborative service project and share traditions and perspectives. Students form relationships with these students and follow up with conversations over Skype and in person about cultural differences and similarities. Gaining this real-life understanding helps students define the immediacy of respect in their lives.
In November this year, principal Martha Ashley, teacher Andy Blair and a group of 18 seventh- and eighth-grade students traveled to Peru. This cultural immersion trip involves collaborative service projects at two elementary schools and two middle/high schools. Students serve as ambassadors for SMA while learning from local leaders and their host families. In March, eighth-grade students travel to Washington D.C. and New York. And in May, sixth graders culminate their year together at Golden Bell while seventh graders do the same at Keystone Science School. These trips away serve to build community and relationships, and provide opportunities for personal growth.
These service opportunities give students self-confidence, compassion, open minds and a willingness to act on behalf of others. Through service experiences, students open their hearts to society and explore their own faith in themselves and humanity. It also builds community. Martha Ashley shares, “Guiding all that we do as educators at St. Mary’s Academy is community – the nurturing of respectful and caring relationships within ourselves and with each other, students and parents. Relationship is the core of our mission, identity, curricula, and student achievement and motivation; it makes what we do that much more effectual and enduring.”
An eighth-grade student states, “There are a lot of ways we have community in the middle school. This is a small community and when something happens, everyone is in the net of the community and is affected by it. Everyone pulls together. Community in the middle school just means that we are all joined together like one big family. We have fun times and we have tough times. We have them together.”
For more details on St. Mary’s Academy and the Middle School Program, please visit stmarys.academy or call (303) 762-8300. A preview will take place on Dec. 10, 2015.
