Summer Approaches

2 more blogposts to go. 1 month of school to go. We are coming to a close, my friends, and I will miss this little reflection space for the summer moths. Luckily, I am happy to announce that I will be returning to blogging for junior year. That means I will be back for another exciting, busy SMA year. Still, this year is not completely over, so let me talk about the past few weeks. After a few long weeks of campaigning, we finally had elections for ASB and the class officers for the 2014-2015 year. I always enjoy seeing different campaign themes. They range from Bruno Mars to bananas to New Girl to All State agencies. A variety of people with a variety of likes, dislikes, and ways of life. I ran for class officer with a Ferris Bueller theme. I was extremely nervous, but once I started my speech, I felt calmer. I ended my speech with "it's not what ARE we going to do, but what AREN'T we going to do Junior year" (my campaign slogan). I had a great time with the process of campaigning and am extremely excited to be representing the junior class of 2015. Congratulations to everyone who ran. It's extremely nerve racking to put yourself out there in these types of situations, but all of the candidates should be proud of their hard work.

This past Sunday was one of my favorite days to celebrate, Mother's Day. I always feel like I don't thank my parents enough for what they do for me, so this day is a designated reason to appreciate our loved ones. I started the day off by taking my mom on a trail run, followed by a large Indian buffet at her favorite restraints, Swagat. It was delicious, but we both felt a little sick for the rest of the day. Next, we relaxed at home and she watched her favorite shows, while my brothers, my dad, and I got her presents together. We made her a card, and bought her a massage bar, a box of her favorite chocolates, and a Fitbit Flex. Then, we had sushi for dinner. Overall, it was a great day for all of us. Another day that we celebrated was teacher appreciation day, in which we bought our teacher advisor a hat. Every day is a day to show appreciation and love to one another.

You're almost there. See you next time!
Emma 

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

Spring Break Fun

Hello followers of my blog,

Welcome back from spring break. I hope you all went on intriguing adventures, ate exotic food, and rested from the hustle and bustle of our everyday lives. Personally, I slept in everyday and binge watched Netflix movies. But I also went on my list of things that I have been wanting to do for a while. I finally read The Great Gatsby and saw the movie with Leonardo DiCaprio. I can't say I was disappointed because I liked the movie, but it was nothing like how I imagined the book. Especially with the way characters were depicted. For example, I thought Tom would be younger and more attractive because I didn't sense that there was a large age gap between Daisy and Tom. The party scenes at Gatsby's house were super impressive. Afterwards, I looked up that they had a budget of $105 million. That's insane. I love film making, so hopefully, I'll be able to make a movie with a fraction of that budget. 

I am not the only one crossing things off of my bucket list. A few days ago, my brother finished the fourth Harry Potter book. The fourth is easily one of my favorites, so we decided to celebrate in various forms. First, we bought a large amount of celebratory food. We bought cherry Coke, popcorn, peanut butter pretzels, and the new Peanut Butter Fudge Core Ice Cream. It was absolutely delicious, but something was missing. I remembered that a few years ago, I went to a candy shop in Multnomah Village, called Sweets Etc., that had Harry Potter Candy, such as Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Jelly Beans and Chocolate Frogs. It was a great night and it brought me back to my childhood, when we had to wait for the books and movie to come out. Now they have them at their disposal! 

Before spring break, I went on Sophomore Retreat with my fellow classmates. I can't say too much about it because it is supposed to be a surprise for the freshman and other incoming students, but I had a great time. The food was great, the venue was fun, and our entire class bonded through different activities that the leadership classes planned. I hope everyone can experience the amazing retreats that SMA has to offer and am so thankful for the opportunity to be a part of such an exceptional group of students.

I hope you all had a wonderful spring break!

Emma Rosenthal    

Spring Break Approaches

Hello readers,

I can't believe it's almost Spring break! Mostly because it feels like just yesterday there were piles of snow wherever I looked, but that's Portland weather for you. Speaking of Spring, one of the most exciting aspects of the season are the roses. The flowers and their scents, the attitude around the streets, and of course the Rose Festival Parade! This past week, Annette Holgado was named princess for St. Mary's Academy. She is an amazing representative of our school and I can't wait to support her at the parade and see where she goes after high school. 

In more school news, I took the PSSS (a practice SAT) this past Saturday. It was harder than I thought and I am definitely going to start studying for Junior year. Even though they don't affect me, I wonder what the changes to the SAT will be and how they will affect students' scores. 

Also, happy late International Women's Day! March 8th is celebrated around the world as a day to celebrate the appreciation and love toward women for their achievements. It is also a day to bring awareness on the struggle of women throughout the world for their political and human rights. I found out that each year is given a theme by the United Nations. Some include "Celebrating the Past, Planning for the Future," "Women and HIV/AIDS," "Women in Decision-making," and "Investing in Women and Girls". This years theme, "Inspiring Change," fits 2014 very well. Women like Malala Yousafzai, Camila Batmanghelidhj, Mary Barra, Hillary Clinton, and so many more are defying stereotypes, helping the world, and inspiring girls everywhere. I am so happy to celebrate International Women's Day and can't wait to see the amazing things that women will do in the future.

Hug a woman today,

Emma Rosenthal

Fun Things in February!

Hello Portland,

It has been a while ride since we last spoke. You were covered in snow just a couple of weeks ago and I'd like to thank you for giving me a nice mini winter break. I spent the time baking and eating, sleeping, and watching a variety of movies and shoes on Hulu and Netflix. It was extremely therapeutic, but I was happy to get back to my normal routine with school on Tuesday. Oh wait. It wasn't a normal routine because it was my favorite week of the year...Doernbecher Week! A week where our various costumes, exciting raffles, entertaining competitions, and SMA spirit contribute to making a difference in raising money for important organizations. This years organizations were Doernbecher Children's Hospital, FINCA (The Foundation for International Community Assistance), and Gale's Creek Camp. This year, I was actually on the community which helped plan the week. My group focused on the educational part of the week, so we planned an assembly to educate students and staff on the organizations we are supporting and the true purpose of the week: charity. I had a great experience and am definitely joining again next year.

Forecasting is coming up this week, which I always look forward to. I love looking through the booklet and imagining which classes I will be taking next year. Along with new classes, the Spring musical is coming up. This year, SMA is putting on one of my favorite musicals of all time: Beauty and the Beast. Many of my friends are in the production, so I will definitely be attending on Friday, February 18th at 7 PM in the St. Mary's Auditorium!

I would like to wish you all a very Happy Valentine's Day! I spent my Valentine's Day in the most romantic place in the world...the district swim meet. Aside from the lack of roses, there was a lot of chocolate and I had tons of fun ending the season with some of my favorite people. The swim season has been a tiring, exciting, and overall extremely rewarding experience. Now it's time to get ready for tennis in the Spring. :)

See you next time,

Emma Rosenthal 

Finals and Formal

Hello everyone,

Portland is wrapped up with a stormy grey sky, the rain begins to pour, and you realize you forgot your number 2 pencil. It is finals week. Luckily, we have passed that stressful time and moved on to happier things, like winter formal. Our Northern Lights themed dance took place on Saturday night at Columbia Edgewater Country Club. Even though I only went with three close friends, the entire group ended up dancing together. It's always fun to dance, eat good food, and take pictures at the photo booth with your closest friends. Sadly, this years venue did not have a chocolate fountain, but it did have an amazing campfire outdoors. It was cold outside, but the night sky was really beautiful, and you could hear the pounding bass from the DJ inside. I will definitely be attending next year!

Also, before all of this, we had our MLK assembly. At this event, we honor the different cultures that SMA cherishes in our diverse community. Students and staff give speeches about the discrimination in their lives and their hopes for the future. It is always very inspiring and I love getting to know people better through their words.

In my personal news, I have just started drivers ed. I was nervous at first because I had never driven for, but after a crammed week of squeezing in driving practices with my mom during finals, I was able to pass my first drive! Note to future self and possible New Years resolution: stop procrastinating.

See you next time!

Emma Rosenthal 

New Year for the Blues!

Hello 2014! 
St Mary's brought in the new year with an all-school mass. The masses are a time to reflect and think about the theme of the mass. I looked back on 2013 and realized what an amazing year it has been. The Cronut was invented, Miley Cyrus twerked on MTV, breaking bad ended, north west was born, Lorde broke out, the Boston marathon was bombed, and the pope took a selfie with some teenagers. There was a lot more to 2013 than that and overall it was an amazing year. As we say goodbye to 2013, we look forward to another amazing year at SMA!

So far 2014 has been just as busy as 2013. We are preparing for a week of finals, and then on Saturday we will be having our winter formal. The theme is Northern lights, so I'm excited to see the decorations! The highlight of last years dance would either be getting ready with my friends or the delicious chocolate fountain. It is the best way to celebrate the ending of the semester and the end of finals!

Recently, we had an event called The Scoop for all 8th graders looking at SMA. This year was different because there were more activities to choose from and Ben and Jerry's catered the event. I remember being unsure before coming to SMA, and this event really got me excited and made me want to experience St Mary's. It was cool to be an ambassador at the event because it was casual and we were able to connect with the new students. Different activities were in different rooms. These included the board game room, the spa room, the craft room, twister in the hall, the cookie decorating room, minute to win it, the ice cream buffet, and Just Dance. It was the first time I had played Just Dance, but I absolutely love it. It is number one on my wish list!

2013 was a blast, but 2014 is looking good so far. I hope you all had a lovely new year!
Emma Rosenthal

Winter Days are Here

Hello readers,

The cold (and sometime snowy) weather has come, and continually reminds me of one of my favorite quotes by Edith Sitwell: "Winter is the time for comfort, for good food and warmth, for the touch of a friendly hand and for a talk beside the site: it is the time for home." Not only does December bring the holidays, but it brings my sixteenth birthday! December is my favorite month for so many reasons. It starts with my birthday and ends with the new year, so it is a month of happiness and celebration. And St. Mary's has definitely lived up to that expectation.

At St. Mary's we have had many different concerts and performances, featuring concert choir, dance classes/dance company, orchestra, and the Marian Singers, who have been invited back to the White House for the second year in a row! With all this excitement and happiness, we never forget to share this joy with less fortunate people. Every year, the TA's (organized groups of students connected to an individual teacher) get assigned to a specific family in need. Then, we bring gifts for the families, according to what they need. Holidays aren't only for spending time with friends and family and eating good food, but giving back and connecting to the community and people around you. 

See you all next year!

Emma Rosenthal

Winter Wonderland

The rain has finally arrived! The cold weather is setting in along with cozy blankets, hot chocolate, and lots of homework. Luckily, this past Monday was Blues Bridge Walk movie day, so students got to relax while watching their favorite films. The movie options were Great Gatsby, Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, Pitch Perfect, The Perks of Being Wallflower, Monsters University, and Blades of Glory. The students that raised enough money or brought in a number of donations got to watch two different movies and eat free pizza, while students who did not meet the donations still enjoyed a fun day filled with zumba, study hall, and yoga. My friends and I watched Pitch Perfect and Blades of Glory. I had seen Pitch Perfect and thought it was absolutely hilarious, but I had never seen Blades of Glory. I was extremely surprised with the plot of the movie because it was nothing I expected. First off, I thought it had something to do with a war, but I was totally off. Actually, it was a movie about two opposing ice skaters having to team up, after being banned from single ice skating. It was very funny, but also extremely awkward.

 

Aside from movie day, one of my favorite holidays is coming up: Thanksgiving! The whole month of November is a great time to reflect and be thankful, but also to spend time with family and eat loads of good food. It also means time off from school and is a friendly reminder that my birthday is just around the corner. I can’t wait to spend this Thanksgiving with the amazing sophomore class, and of course, the rest of the SMA family.

 

Have a great November!

Emma Rosenthal

Macbeth, Sock-Hop, and more!

Hello everyone!

Winter time is coming so soon! And with it comes winter sports, including alpine skiing, basketball, Nordic skiing, and swimming. Cross country took second in state this past Saturday, and with cross country officially ending, I am so excited to swim competitively for the first time!

Educationally, I have learned so much in the first quarter. I read Antigone and an independent reading book (mine was A Prayer for Owen Meany) in English, learned about the structure of atoms and tie-dyed in Chemistry, and focused on Hinduism and aboriginal people in Comparative religions. I also gave four speeches, including interview, impromptu, oral interpretation, and informative. In history, I learned about prehistory and ancient Mesopotamia. It has been quite an exciting and fast-paced quarter. I am shocked at how much I have learned and how many more topics I get to explore. In English, we just began reading Macbeth. I was nervous about Shakespeare, but so far, I have loved the language! In history, we started a project in which we choose a civilization, take lots of notes on the civilization, write an essay about an aspect of the civilization, and then create an educational board game. I have the Ancient Maya Civilization, which I am very interested in because we didn’t dive as deeply into it in middle school as I would have liked. Also, the ancient Mayans are very interesting because there is so much mystery in their history. In my speech class, we are starting out persuasive speeches, and I am still thinking about interesting topics to write about.

In other SMA news, this past Saturday was the autumn dance! This year we had an amazing sock-hop, where students brought friends and tried to dress in clothing from the 50’s. There were so many unique costumes, including bright lipstick, varsity jackets, and intense poodle skirts. They played modern music, but also some classic songs, like “Hound Dog” by Elvis. It reminded me of one of my favorite movies, “Grease.”

SMA life is just getting busier and busier every day. See you next time!

Emma Rosenthal

Goodbye October!

Hello everyone!

The first quarter is nearly finished, and it is time for hot soups, Christmas decorating, warm sweaters, fuzzy socks, hot chocolate, black Friday, and Thanksgiving. I am especially looking forward to the release of a film creation of the Book Thief. This year has been extremely busy so far and there are three more quarters to go. This past weekend, St. Mary’s students acted in “Twelve Angry Women.” It is a story of a group of jurors given a case about a boy, who may have killed his father. If they unanimously vote him guilty, he will be given the death penalty. Eleven of the jurors agree that the boy is guilty, but one votes not-guilty. The juror who voted not-guilty spends the rest of the time attempting to sway the jurors to not-guilty. The play was beautifully executed and extremely entertaining.

 

Another event that recently took place was the Mount Hood Conference Treble Choir Festival. SMA’s two vocal groups performed their repertoire of songs, along with other schools, such as Reynolds High School. After each choir performed, a professional vocal teacher came and worked with the choir. This was a great learning experience because not only did you get to hear multiple performances, but you could look into a lesson and see different ways to improve as a choir.

 

In the sports area, St. Mary’s Cross Country team took first at districts! We have been undefeated since we joined Mount Hood Conference, 11 years ago. Paige Rice took first place with a time of 18 minutes and 19 seconds. Also, Coach Mike won MHC Coach of the Year. It has been quite an amazing year for St. Mary’s Cross Country. This Saturday, Varsity will be fighting for the state title at Lane Community College!  Go Blues!

 

Now it is time to prepare for Halloween, so I say goodbye until November!

Emma Rosenthal

Spirit Week!

Hello to everyone on this blog!

It has been quite an exciting and active month! October is finally creeping out of it’s nest and it is the time of pumpkins, ghosts, and chocolate. October is a time for fun and SMA has definitely embraced that, starting the month off with Spirit Week. This year, Spirit Week was composed of five different themes, each one having to do with spies. The themes were:

Day One: Sleeper Agent (Pajama Day)

Day Two: Operation Tacky Tourist

Day Three: Undercover Brothers (Boy Day)

Day Four: Mrs. Smith (Dress like a classy lady)

Day Five: Covert in Class Colors

Spirit Week is my favorite time of the year because the crazy costumes and energetic personalities come out from the back of closets. This year, the seniors won, the freshmen got second, the sophomores got third, and the juniors took last. It was great to see all of the skits and the challenges during lunch, especially the teacher’s dance off.

Aside from Spirit Week, SMA has expanded and bought the former University Station post office block in Downtown Portland. I can’t wait to see what they choose to do with it. St. Mary’s is growing and thriving, things like the new building, athletics, and clubs are possible because of our fundraising events like the Blues Bridge Walk. BBW is a student fundraiser that gives us a chance to give back to SMA. It raises money for academics, extra-curricular activities, and tuition assistance. We brought in donations and then on October 10^th we walked 3 miles around the Waterfront. It was very fun and is a great way to give back to St Mary’s.

As a reminder, St. Mary’s has its Open House on Sunday, October 20^th. It’s a great way to see what SMA has to offer and get a taste of what being there would be like.  Drop in anytime between 1 and 4pm!

I hope to see you all there!

Emma Rosenthal

Hello SMA!

Wow! It has been quite a crazy summer, but I am officially getting used to my new school routine. Over the summer, I travelled to Southern Africa and France and had many cool experiences, such as visiting Victoria falls, shopping on the Champs Elysees, and being kissed by an elephant. After coming back from my summer adventures, I was surprised to find that St. Mary’s is going through many adventures itself. First off, with Ms. Barr leaving, SMA has an amazing new principal. She is very funny and truly cares a lot about St. Mary’s and its students. Aside from getting a new principal, St. Mary’s welcomed new teachers and staff members, ranging from English teachers to registrars. One of the most exciting adventures that SMA is embarking on is the iPad. All we can hope is that our wifi is still alive by next year, thanks to the millions of song downloads or collections of One Direction wallpaper.  

Pre meet cheer!

In my St. Mary’s life, I am very excited to embark on adventures of my own. This year, I started running Cross Country. I can easily say that it is one of the best decisions I’ve made in my life. Cross Country is such a fun environment with fun girls and entertaining runs. Even if it’s raining (as it often is in Portland), the girls on the team always know how to cheer me on and keep me running. Aside from my team, Cross Country is a really easy way to stay active and strive for goals. It always feels great when I get a personal record and our team wins (remove at) a meet. St. Mary’s is a place where you can push yourself to your next level, in your classes, activities, or on the field, with people beside you pushing you on.

There really isn’t a dull moment in an SMA student’s life.  

Rainbow Day for Cross Country

See you next time!

Emma Rosenthal

Back To School!

It's hard to believe that summer is OVER, but I am super excited (and nervous) for sophomore year! The welcome assembly was very fun and it was awesome how they implemented the iPads. This year is full of new things and bringing iPads into the picture is very exciting. Overall, my first few days of school have been very entertaining and challenging. This year, I hope to learn lots of things and join new clubs and activities. Even though it's hard to wake up in the morning, I'm always excited for another day at SMA!
-Emma