Cincinnati, OH – September 1, 2015 – So many choices! That is the challenge faced by freshmen at Saint Ursula Academy as they decide how to get involved at Saint Ursula, choosing from more than 60 clubs and organizations.
"It's easy to get involved at Saint Ursula Academy!” said Vice Principal for Student Affairs Kate Durso, who oversees all of the clubs and organizations. “We have over 60 student groups to choose from, with a wide range of topics. We want girls to feel at home in clubs and organizations right away, so we host an Involvement Fair each year within the first 3 weeks of classes. That way, even our freshmen can join a group as early as their first quarter in school. We encourage the girls to join at least one club or organization and to make a commitment for a year."
The goals for the Involvement Fair center around allowing each student to become more familiar with the clubs and organizations for the 2015-2016 school year, and the commitment required for each. Additionally, club and organization involvement is meant to encourage students to:
· Learn more about herself by exploring her interests or trying something new
· Make friends with students by sharing common experiences
· Develop leadership skills, including communication, collaboration, and problem solving
· Apply lessons from the classroom to real life experiences
Freshman Kimberly Dryden ‘19 of Miami Heights took time to explore several options she is considering. “I really like that you have a chance to look at all of your options and learn about them before making a choice,” said Kimberly. “I looked at the Saint Ursula Players (SUP) theater club, the vocal ensemble (SUAVE), the Tie Dye Club, Anime, Photography, Sign Language, Community Service, Student Council and a few more. Now I just need to narrow it down so I can really focus on the groups I decide to join.”
Of course, if a club does not exist and there is interest, the students are encouraged to start their own. A few of the new offerings this year include Robotics, Science Olympiad, Knitting, Film Club (will watch films and make videos), Coding Club, Good Samaritan Club, and the Competitive Crafting Club.
Most clubs and organizations meet during the school day on varying days, so students can choose to belong to a combination of groups. Additionally, some of the clubs meet for activities outside of school, or participate in competitions or events with other area high school students.
Alyssa Branca ‘18, a sophomore from Anderson Township, is a returning member of the World Affairs Club. “Each meeting we talk about a different country and its culture. We sometimes do service to benefit the country we are featuring, we try food, and even watch foreign films to learn about different cultures,” said Branca on what she learns from participation in the club.
Abby Kelly ‘18, a sophomore from Anderson Township, is also a member of the World Affairs Club. She believes in the importance of learning about the culture and issues of other regions of the world. “I really like that we can look beyond our own borders and learn about what’s going on in the world, not just here.”
At Saint Ursula Academy, students are encouraged to be thinkers, leaders, nurturers, and prophets and each of these can be achieved through participation in the Academy’s various clubs and organizations.
St. Ursula Academy is a Catholic, college-preparatory, secondary school for young women known for academic excellence and rich tradition. St. Ursula welcomes students from more than 70 grade schools in the Greater Cincinnati area. In 2002 the Academy was recognized by the U.S. Department of Education as a Blue Ribbon School. The campus, located at 1339 E. McMillan Street in East Walnut Hills has been the home of St. Ursula Academy and Convent since 1910. The Class of 2015 earned college scholarships totaling more than $19-million.
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Photo 1: L-R: Molly Barresi ’17 of Anderson Township and Loren Pfeiffer ’17 of Delhi explain details about the sign language club to Kimberly Dryden ’19 of Miami Heights.