Monthly Archives: June 2021

Three student-athletes honored at All Arkansas Preps Banquet

Three Mount St. Mary Academy student-athletes were honored during the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette’s 2020-2021 All Arkansas Preps Banquet on Saturday, June 19, at the Statehouse Convention Center in Little Rock. Swimming Belle Olivia Chambers ’21 received the CHI St. Vincent Health Award. Additionally, Golf Belle Isabel Chaidez ’22 and Soccer Belle Abbey Moore ’21 were named to their respective sports’ All Arkansas Preps teams.

 

The CHI St. Vincent Health Award was one of only two “Inspiration Awards” presented during the event. It honors an Arkansas high school student-athlete who has overcome a health challenge and did so with grace and humility while inspiring his/her team and community on the journey.

 

“I nominated Olivia because she has remained upbeat and happy regardless of her prognosis,” said MSM Head Swim Coach Quincey Johnson. “She is positive and determined and always in good spirits. Olivia has been battling for her vision for nearly two years now, and she is still smiling and pressing on and achieving her goals.”

 

Olivia, who placed 2nd in the 100 backstroke and 4th in the 200 IM at this year’s 6A State Swim Meet in February, will be attending the University of Northern Iowa in Cedar Falls where she has already committed to joining the women’s swim and dive team. She is the first Belle to sign at a Division I school since 2017. Olivia’s story of courage and perseverance through an unexpected health challenge that left her legally blind was featured in this Arkansas Catholic article in May.

 

In addition to Olivia’s recognition, Isabel and Abbey were honored for their achievements in golf and soccer, respectively, this past year. Isabel was announced as one of just 10 members of the 2021-2021 All Arkansas Preps Girls Golf Team. With a personal best one-under par total score, she finished second in this year’s 6A Girls Golf State Tournament and qualified for the Arkansas State Golf Association High School Overall Championship. She was named All-Conference for the third year in a row and All-State for the second straight year.

 

Abbey was selected to this year’s All Arkansas Preps Girls Soccer Second Team. She received All-State honors this year and was one of only 16 players across the 6A classification named to the 2021 All-Tournament Team. Next year Abbey will continue her soccer career with the Division II women’s soccer program at Ouachita Baptist University in Arkadelphia, Ark.

 

Congratulations to Olivia, Isabel and Abbey! Go Belles!

 

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.

OM team places sixth in 2021 World Finals

This year’s Odyssey of the Mind team placed sixth overall at the 2021 Virtual World Finals, which concluded on May 29. Though Mount St. Mary Academy’s OM team regularly advances to the world competition, it is the first time in several years that it has placed in the top six.

 

“It’s a big deal, and these girls certainly earned it,” said Monica Madey, MSM English teacher and one of the team’s coaches. “They kept showing up week after week and putting in the work. And when social distancing and periods of quarantine slowed them down, they redoubled their efforts. In short, they have beautifully represented the resilient spirit of our entire student body. I could not be more proud of them!”

 

The OM team’s division in this year’s competition included a total of 56 teams from eight countries and 14 states. In addition to placing among the top in the world, this year’s talented team was chosen as one of only six OMER’s Award winners out of all teams across all divisions participating in the 2021 virtual event. This special award recognizes those individuals, coaches, team members, parents, officials and others who, during the tournament, serve as exemplary examples or role models through their actions or words. It is also bestowed on team members who exhibit exceptional skill and talents.

 

The OMER’s Award judges said the following about Mount St. Mary Academy’s team: “Absolute perfection! From a lifelike animatronic swan to a fully functioning spinning wheel perfect for a storybook land, this team demonstrated exceptional artistic skill and engineering talent on not one, not two, but over six different masterpieces integrated into their time-themed solution. …truly blown away by this team’s timeless talent and sensational solution.” (Click here to read their full statement.)

 

This marks the 10th straight year the school’s OM team has advanced to the world competition. It earned a spot in the 2021 Virtual World Finals after placing first in its division at the State Tournament in April. The team also traveled to Florida to compete in a pared-down in-person World Finals at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando on June 11 and 12. There they placed ninth overall.

 

Congratulations to members of our 2020-2021 OM team for their amazing talent and incredible success in this year’s competitions: Josie Fitz ’21, Caroline Gunderman ’21, Isabel Jara ’22, Belle Mentgen ’23 (not pictured), Lucy Nimmo ’22, Mary Owen ’21, Clara Principe ’24, Macy Ramiro ’22 and Emily Van Ecko ’21. The team was coached by Deborah Baldwin, Monica Madey ’06 and Ilia Bailey McNeal ’06.

 

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.