Monthly Archives: February 2020

HoneyBelles raise $500 for Australian beekeepers devastated by fires

As the student organization responsible for maintaining a bee-friendly garden and educational hive at Mount St. Mary, the HoneyBelles regularly hold fundraisers for causes that support bees and beekeepers. The group of students recently became very concerned about the plight of bees and beekeepers in Australia due to the historic drought conditions and resulting widespread bushfires. They reached out to the New South Wales Apiarist Association to find out how they could help and were directed to the Hive Fund, a drought and bushfire relief campaign managed by Rural Aid aimed specifically at struggling beekeepers in Australia.

The HoneyBelles partnered with others in the local community, such as Walnut Valley Honey Company, to learn how to make lip balm using beeswax. The students then spent time making and selling lip balm over the course of several weeks in order to raise funds for the professional beekeepers seriously impacted by the drought and bushfires in Australia. They were ultimately able to raise $500 for Hive Aid.

Due to the project aligning so nicely with the Sisters’ of Mercy Critical Concern for the earth, news of the HoneyBelles’ efforts spread throughout the Mercy community worldwide – as far away as Australia.

“As a Sister of Mercy in Melbourne, Australia, I was very moved to read in Mercy eNews of your contribution to save our bees here in our country after the drought and bushfires,” Sr. Carole McDonald RSM wrote to the group. “How clever and industrious you were to learn, make and sell lip balm in order to make your contribution to save the hives. Thank you on behalf of many people who are grateful for your support and generosity.”

Mount St. Mary Academy, sponsored by the Sisters of Mercy, develops young women with a moral and intellectual foundation rooted in Catholic tradition. Mercy-minded and college-prepared, our students meet the future with wisdom, compassion and integrity.

MSM junior recognized with President’s Volunteer Service Award

Anne Marie Coy ’21 has been honored for her exemplary volunteer service with a President’s Volunteer Service Award as well as a Certificate of Excellence from The Prudential Spirit of Community Awards, a nationwide program honoring young people for outstanding acts of volunteerism.

The President’s Volunteer Service Award recognizes Americans of all ages who have volunteered significant amounts of their time to serve their communities and their country. Additionally, Certificates of Excellence are granted to the top 10 percent of all Prudential Spirit of Community Award applicants in each state.

An active junior at Mount St. Mary, Anne Marie has spent hundreds of hours volunteering with the Arkansas Foodbank since her passion for the organization ignited during a field trip in the fourth grade. In 2018 she spearheaded the launch of the Change for Change Campaign, a drive to collect spare change to benefit the Foodbank and raise awareness of the issue of food insecurity in Arkansas. Her project raised more than $4,000 in its first year and earned her the Arkansas Chapter of the Association of Fundraising Professionals’ Outstanding Volunteer Youth Fundraiser Award. After topping $8,000 in 2019, Anne Marie’s goal for this year’s Change for Change Campaign is $10,000.

In its 25th year, The Prudential Spirit of Community Awards is presented annually by Prudential Financial in partnership with the National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP).

“Across the United States, young volunteers are doing remarkable things to contribute to the well-being of the people and communities around them,” said Prudential Chairman and CEO Charles Lowry. “Prudential is honored to celebrate the contributions of these students, and we hope their stories inspire others to volunteer, too.”

“These students have not only improved their communities through their exemplary volunteer service, but also set a fine example for their peers,” said JoAnn Bartoletti, executive director of NASSP. “Each of their stories is proof of the impact one young person can have when they decide to make a difference.”

Prudential Spirit of Community Award applications were distributed nationwide last September, and applicants’ volunteer activities were judged on criteria including initiative, effort, impact and personal growth. In addition to granting President’s Volunteer Service Awards and Certificates of Excellence, The Prudential Spirit of Community Awards selected State Honorees and Distinguished Finalists. Sophomore Haley Draeger was selected as one of Arkansas’ four Distinguished Finalists and also received a President’s Volunteer Service Award.

KARK Channel 4 News recently featured Anne Marie and her Change for Change Campaign. View that Good News Matters segment here.

We applaud Anne Marie for her commitment to service and living Mercy, and congratulate her on this well-deserved honor!

Two student artists’ pieces chosen for display in Governor’s Mansion

Artwork from two Mount St. Mary students was selected in this year’s Governor’s Young Artist Competition and will be included in a student exhibition at the Arkansas Governor’s Mansion later this spring.

Junior Caroline Gunderman had all three of her submitted works chosen: Yellow Wallpaper, New York, New York and Wisdom. Wisdom had previously been submitted in the Historic Cane Hill Art Competition, where it was recognized with one of two Awards of Excellence. Senior Cecilia Ilg’s work, TRANSendence, was also chosen in the 2020 Governor’s Young Artist Competition.

There were almost 500 works entered into this year’s competition from high school students across the state, and 94 were selected for display in the mansion. The 2020 theme, “The Home Within,” invited young artists to submit pieces inspired by a place, a person, a song, a smell, a sound, a memory or anything else that evokes a sense of home as a place or state of being that fosters an atmosphere of living, laughing and learning. “‘The Home Within’ can be interpreted quite widely, bringing together a broad range of elements and ideas to define the role of ‘home’ and its significance in a person’s life story,” the competition’s website stated.

The student exhibition at the Arkansas Governor’s Mansion is scheduled to open Wednesday, April 1, with a reception and awards ceremony taking place on Saturday, April 25.

Congratulations to our talented student artists, Caroline and Cecilia!

Clockwise, L to R: Yellow Wallpaper; TRANSendence; Wisdom; New York, New York

MSM Thespians enjoy success at State Festival

Fifteen members of the MSM Thespian Troupe traveled to Jonesboro for the 2020 Arkansas State Thespian Festival held February 13-15. The students participated in numerous workshops, competed in a variety of technical challenges and networked with other theatre arts students, colleges and industry leaders. The event also included opportunities to earn college scholarships as well as bids to this summer’s International Thespian Tournament in Indiana.

Senior Lily Eagan and junior Cabe Parrish, vice president of the MSM Thespian Troupe, each received Superior rankings for their Solo Musical pieces. Both were also awarded Best in Show and invited to perform in the event’s Saturday showcase in front of all 1,300 participants, an honor reserved for just 10 pieces selected from the entire festival. Sophomores Malingo Matute and Alex Powell were also ranked Superior in Duet Musical. Their Superior rankings earned Lily, Cabe, Malingo and Alex bids to the International Thespian Tournament in June.

Senior Avery Appleton, president of the MSM Thespian Troupe, received an Excellent rank in Solo Acting. The troupe also received Excellent ranks for Group Musical (directed by Cabe and senior Robin Stover; performed by Lily, Malingo, Cabe, Alex, Robin, junior Fran Edwards, sophomore Rachel Klinck and senior Anna Palmer) and Group Acting (directed by Avery; performed by Avery, senior Bella Boyd, sophomore Sophia Brannon, senior Grey Dunaway and senior Victoria Volpi).

Additionally, Avery, Cabe and Robin received callbacks and/or offers for college scholarships.

“I am so incredibly proud of all of the girls’ hard work for this festival,” said Jenny Moses, who teaches theatre, forensics and speech at Mount St. Mary. “I have watched them grow individually and as a team. They have such amazing attitudes and represent Mount beautifully, which is all I can ask for as a coach. For them to be remarkably talented as well makes it a delight.”

Congratulations to the MSM Thespians on great weekend in Jonesboro!

Bowling Belles finish season fifth in state

The Bowling Belles recently completed their season, which once again included postseason action. The team finished 5-1 in their regular season matches, came in fourth at this year’s Baker Competition in late January, and finished in third place at the 6A Central Conference Tournament in Conway on February 5. The top-three finish earned them one of 10 spots in the 6A State Tournament in Fort Smith on February 13, where the team came in fifth overall – up two places from last year’s finish. The Bowling Belles are coached by MSM science teacher Lauren Naeyaert and volunteer assistant Justin Draeger.

“We are super proud of the Bowling Belles this season,” Coach Naeyaert said. “We improved since last season, and we expect to improve even more over the off season. These ladies are amazing!”

In addition to the team’s success, Haley Draeger ’22 earned All-State honors with her ninth place overall finish at the State Tournament.

Congrats to the Bowling Belles and their coaches for another successful season!

More than 30 MSM students tour campuses during College Trip 2020

Thirty-two Mount St. Mary juniors, along with two members of the MSM counseling staff, spent February 2-5 touring a handful of college campuses during the school’s annual College Trip. The four-day road trip – which included visits to a total of eight colleges and universities in Louisiana, Mississippi and Tennessee – provided students with the opportunity to explore a variety of campuses, speak with school admissions representatives and learn about some of the different college options that exist in the region.

“We had an excellent college trip this year,” Emily Coffey, MSM college counselor, said. “The students enjoyed learning about the different types of colleges, getting a peek into college life, and comparing the pros and cons of different institutions. They left the trip with a better idea of what size, type and location they prefer for college.”

Junior Ava Atwood, who participated in this year’s trip, agreed that the experience was a worthwhile one. “I chose to go on the trip to expand my knowledge about college,” she said. “I had a general idea of what college was like beforehand, but after attending eight totally different schools, I now have a much better understanding of what I am looking for in a college.”

The annual college trip ultimately aims to help Mount St. Mary students find success during the college search and application process by introducing them to the process before their senior year. “Visiting different types of colleges and universities during a student’s sophomore or junior year helps her narrow her college search, prepare for the application process, and understand the importance of her GPA and extracurricular commitments in high school,” Mrs. Coffey has said of the annual trip.

This year’s itinerary included visits to the following schools: Louisiana Tech University, Tulane University, Loyola University New Orleans, Louisiana State University, Millsaps College, Mississippi State University, University of Mississippi and Rhodes College.

A special part of the experience each year is getting the opportunity to visit with MSM alumnae at many of the colleges the group visits. Mount St. Mary Academy thanks Caroline Barnhill ’19 at Loyola New Orleans; Emma Holloway ’19 at LSU; Darcey Collins ’16 at Mississippi State; Dominique Darion ’14, Georgia McGahee ’18, Lindsey Taylor ’19 and Grace Webb ’19 at Ole Miss; and Anya Ranaraja ’19 at Rhodes College for their hospitality, which helped make the trip a memorable one for the participating students and counseling staff.

Senior Concert Belle selected for All-State Choir for third time

On February 7, five students from Mount St. Mary Academy traveled to Henderson State University in Arkadelphia to audition alongside hundreds of Arkansas’ best singers for spots in this year’s All-State Choirs. For the third time in four years, Anne Lashbrook ’20 was selected for All-State.

Anne earned 13th chair out of the more than 110 top Alto IIs in Arkansas who auditioned for the 50-member choir this year. She made All-State during her freshman and junior years at Mount St. Mary, as well. Concert Belles Gracie Limmer ’22, Mari Negrete ’22, Cabe Parrish ’21 and Natalie Vailes ’22 also participated in the February 7 All-State auditions.

As part of this year’s All-State Choir, Anne will spend February 20-22 in Hot Springs at the All-State Clinic. She will participate in intense rehearsals alongside the state’s other top vocal performers, directed by some of the country’s most prestigious and acclaimed choir directors. The All-State Clinic will conclude with a public concert on Saturday afternoon showcasing the music the students learn during the week as well as their incredible talent.

“I knew Anne was going to make in into All-State. She works tirelessly outside of class, and her knowledge of music theory is advanced for her age,” said MSM Choral Director Chelsea Allman. “Earning a spot in an All-State choir is a great honor. It means that you are the best of the best, and it is something highly sought after in the choir world.”

The Concert Belles and the Harmony Belles will perform at the regional Choral Performance Assessment in mid-March with the hopes of becoming eligible to participate in the Arkansas Choral Directors Association’s State Festival in April.

Congratulations, Anne, and best of luck to the Concert Belles and Harmony Belles in next month’s Choral Performance Assessment!

MSM seniors named National Merit Finalists

Mount St. Mary Academy is proud to announce that seniors Isabella “Bella” Boyd and Anna Palmer have been named National Merit Finalists in the 2020 National Merit Scholarship Competition. Bella and Anna are among approximately 15,000 high school seniors nationwide who have met all the requirements to advance to Finalist standing and continue in the competition for one of 7,600 National Merit Scholarships that will be offered later this spring.

More than 1.5 million students nationwide entered the National Merit Scholarship Program as juniors by taking the PSAT last fall. High scorers were designated as Semifinalists in the fall by scoring in the top one percent among students taking the qualifying test.

Congratulations, Bella and Anna!

Mount St. Mary to host annual Lenten Evening of Reflection

Mount St. Mary Academy invites our community of alumnae, parents and friends to our annual Lenten Evening of Reflection on Tuesday, March 3. We are happy to welcome back Sr. Deborah Troillett, RSM ’73, executive director of the Arkansas House of Prayer, as our guest speaker to help lead the evening’s reflection and discussion.

“As a Catholic school, we share our faith with our students every day. Our annual Lenten Evening of Reflection is just one way we are able to do the same thing with our community,” said Chelle McKenzie McCarroll ’02, director of alumnae relations, who is helping organize the event.

This year’s Lenten Evening of Reflection will be held from 5:30-7:00 p.m. at Mount St. Mary Academy. There is no cost to attend the event, and a light meal will be provided. Please register online by Wednesday, February 26.

Questions? Contact Chelle at 501-664-8006 ext. 118 or cmccarroll@mtstmary.edu.

MSM sophomore named a top youth volunteer

Sophomore Haley Draeger was recently recognized as one of Arkansas’ top youth volunteers of 2020 by The Prudential Spirit of Community Awards, a nationwide program honoring young people for outstanding acts of volunteerism. As one of the state’s four Distinguished Finalists, Haley will receive an engraved bronze medallion. Her community spirit and exemplary volunteer service also qualified her for the program’s President’s Volunteer Service Award.

A member of the Girl Scouts – Diamonds of Arkansas, Oklahoma and Texas, Haley organized and runs Kid’s Korner, a twice-monthly event that has given more than 1,300 outfits to 240 families who are staying at the Ronald McDonald House in Little Rock. Haley solicits, washes and organizes donated clothing, has helped recruit additional volunteers, and works directly with families who benefit from her initiative.

Though appreciative of the honor, Haley was quick to acknowledge all volunteers and the importance of community service.

“A project’s success is driven by all the volunteers who participate and contribute in various ways. It can be hard work and time consuming, but the payoff of helping others is worth it,” she said. “As a volunteer, you can directly impact another person’s life or a cause for the better. There is also the personal reward of knowing your actions made a difference. I think everyone should find a cause that is important to them and volunteer. The benefits to those you serve and within yourself are remarkable.”

The Prudential Spirit of Community Awards, now in its 25th year, is conducted by Prudential Financial in partnership with the National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP). It represents the United States’ largest youth recognition program based solely on volunteer service. Since the program began in 1995, more than 130,000 young volunteers have been honored at the local, state and national level.

“In our 25th year of honoring young volunteers, we are as inspired as ever by the work students are doing to address the needs of a changing world,” said Charles Lowrey, chairman and CEO of Prudential Financial, Inc. “We hope that their resolve, their initiative and their perspectives on society’s challenges move others to consider how they can make a difference, too.”

“Middle level and high school students are doing remarkable things to shape the future of their communities through volunteer service. They inspire all students and schools to drive learning with real-world challenges,” said JoAnn Bartoletti, executive director of NASSP. “Congratulations to each of the 2020 honorees – it’s an honor to celebrate your commitment to creating positive change.”

Congratulations, Haley, on this well-deserved honor. You are a wonderful example of living Mercy, and we are very proud of you!

Mount St. Mary celebrates Founders Day, 169 years

Wednesday, February 5, represented a special day for Mount St. Mary Academy. It marked 169 years since the Sisters of Mercy founded what was originally known as St. Mary’s Academy in 1851, at the request of Arkansas’ first Catholic bishop, Andrew Byrne. Recognized as the oldest continuously operated school in Arkansas, and the third oldest of the secondary schools sponsored by the Sisters of Mercy worldwide, Mount St. Mary Academy has been providing Mercy education to young women in Arkansas ever since.

On Tuesday, February 6, the Mount St. Mary Academy community gathered in the school’s McAuley Center for the annual Founders Day and Sophomore Pin Mass. As students entered the gymnasium, senior Student Council members rang the Angelus Bell 169 times in honor of the school’s 169-year history. The bell was given to the Sisters of Mercy by Bishop Byrne at the school’s first location in downtown Little Rock. At the conclusion of the all-school Mass, the members of the Class of 2022 received their Mercy pins, which serve as reminders to the sophomores to live the Mercy values in their everyday lives.

View photos featured in the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette here.

Happy birthday, Mount St. Mary Academy!