December at the Academy has been full of holiday cheer! We had our Silver Tea performances last week and it brought me joy watching our students shine as they sang and dance! These Christmas programs are a long-standing tradition for which students practice diligently and present it as a loving gift to their parents.
Last night I went to our Alumni Christmas Basket Gathering, an alumni event that happens the evening before Christmas Basket Mass, another favorite Academy tradition. Families and alumni prepare baskets of food for those in need and these are gathered during Mass before our students go on holiday break. Baskets are then distributed to multiple agencies to ensure that families have enough for a holiday meal. This example of Goal 3 of Sacred Heart education — a social awareness which impels to action — is one of the most special experiences for our students and for our community. It was fun to be with fellow alumni last night to prepare over 80 baskets and then to celebrate with our entire Academy community at Christmas Basket Mass today where we collected over 300 baskets. I particularly loved seeing the students, parents, staff, faculty, and alumni take the baskets out of the gym and load them up into cars. It is a moment where you realize the value of community here at the Academy (another Sacred Heart goal) as well as realizing it is larger than us. We are all working together as a community to make an impact on our greater community. It makes me feel grateful and recognize how much I love this time of year. I wish you all a Merry Christmas and a happy and healthy 2025!
