Spring is Here

Hello everyone,

Wow. The year is flying by! It feels like just yesterday that I was getting my locker, buying new pencils, and meeting my teachers in September, but we're already past Easter! I always use Easter as a milestone in the school year. It marks the beginning of the end, a time for reflection and celebration. It's like the final few miles of a marathon. All of this work is pushing you forward. It's not a time to take a break, but a time to finish the school year off strong.

Even though many have their sights set on June and the beginning of Summer, St. Mary's is continuing exciting activities. Many students are going to be counselors at Outdoor School, running for class officers or All Student Body representatives, or pushing themselves on the sports courts. A few weeks ago, I travelled to Bend with the tennis team to compete in a large tournament. We got fourth place in the tournament and had a great time spending the weekend in sunny Bend, Oregon. The only thing that I would have changed is putting on more sunscreen...especially on my scalp!

Another activity that I was involved in was Poverty Awareness Day committee. This is a day dedicated to educating SMA students on different set topics. This year's theme was medical and health issues throughout Portland and the world. My group focused on the Philippines. We lead groups in making cards to send to the children and sold bracelets made by the victims of typhoon Haiyan. During the day, students went from group to group and learned about various issues and organizations. We also watched a documentary on female health issues in Africa and held a bake sale. The entire day was a huge success!

I'm so excited for these last two months together and am looking forward to an amazing summer, Emma Rosenthal