Alumnae Class Challenge is underway!
Throughout the month of November, alumnae will be challenging their classmates to support the mission of St. Agnes Academy by encouraging participation in the Learning Today, Leading Tomorrow Annual Fund. This year's Class Challenge means alumnae will ask fellow graduates to truly make a difference in the life of a current Academy student by giving to the annual fund. With 15 percent of the student body on financial aid at the Academy and 100 percent of alumnae donations contributing to the $350,000 necessary each year to fund student scholarships, alumnae support is needed now more than ever. Alumnae are encouraged to do their part in keeping St. Agnes on par with other private, Catholic schools in the Houston area by growing annual-fund participation to 20 percent. The size of a gift is not as important as the gift itself - a gift of any amount, at any level helps reach the Class Challenge goal. Three class challenges have already been organized: the classes of 2001 and 2004 will be contacting classmates on Thursday, Nov. 5 and the Class of 1996 will be contacting alumnae Thursday, Nov. 12. The classes with the highest number of annual-fund participants will receive a commemorative brick paver to be installed outside the Center for Student Sciences and Student Services building. To participate or host a class-challenge party, contact your class agent or Director of Alumnae Relations Korin Burnett at Korin.Burnett@st-agnes.org. To donate online, please go to www.st-agnes.org.
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Veritas Magazine, please
click here for AcademyConnection. Update your profile and share details about your family, career, and life changes since your days at St. Agnes. We look forward to hearing from you!
Get ready for a hot night at St. Agnes Academy!St. Agnes Academy kicks off Noche Caliente, the school's Annual Legacy Gala & Auction, on Saturday, Feb. 20, 2010. All alumnae are encouraged to join us as we honor Judy and Darby Sere, past parents, and the Rev. Phil Lloyd, a longtime supporter of St. Agnes Academy. Click
here for more information about this year's top event. Alumnae can donate to the gala by purchasing items to be auctioned the evening of the event. Click here for more details, or contact
mlberry@st-agnes.org for more information on tickets or donations.
Loyalty and love for St. Agnes: Brenda Poye Ponthier '57
Brenda Poye Ponthier has a simple message for St. Agnes Academy alumnae: it's as simple as $15 a month to show support for your alma mater. "I was never in a situation where I could give St. Agnes a lump-sum donation, like $50 or $100 at one time. It was easier for me to just give a little each month," she said. So, each month, for many years, Brenda has $15 debited automatically from her bank and transferred to the St. Agnes Academy Learning Today, Leading Tomorrow Annual Fund. "It's such an easy, painless way of giving something to St. Agnes - a place that has given so much to me. I don't understand why more people don't do this. It's a simple as giving up a latte and a muffin once a month, and giving that over to St. Agnes." Brenda is a passionate advocate for the Academy and remains close to her fellow graduates. Mostly living in California since 1977, she tries to see her classmates whenever she visits Houston and welcomes Class of '57 guests at her home frequently. She is a licensed marriage and family therapist, has three children, six grandchildren and serves on the Board of Directors for the East Bay California Association of Marriage and Family Therapists. Through all the moments of her life, she's remained connected to St. Agnes. "There was never a doubt that I wouldn't (stay connected," she said. "It's a very big part of my life."
VeritasVoice: A student perspective at SAA - VERITAS VACATION DAY
This issue of AcademyConnections
marks the debut of VeritasVoice
, a column written by current St. Agnes Academy seniors Anastasia Hansen and Natalie Harms (in costume, left to right). They are both writers for the SAA newspaper, The Columns
, assist in publishing the literary magazine, Reflections
, and are frequent writers for the Academy's student blog, Tiger Talk
. This month, Anastasia shares her memories of Veritas Vacation Day 2009, a day-long event organized by faculty and staff as a surprise for students. This year's Veritas Vacation Day occurred Oct. 31, the sixth annual all-day, "in-school holiday," and featured carnival games, Sumo wrestling, movies, popcorn, snow cones, Rock Band and Guitar Hero, bingo and other fun activities for students.
After homeroom, Natalie Harms and I sat in the auditorium anticipating a lecture about the dangers of drug use to wrap up Red Ribbon Week. Instead of a testimonial, the alleged "speaker" proclaimed that it was VERITAS VACATION DAY! Basically, we went crazy. This is the best day of the year at St. Agnes. Only the secret VVD planning committee knows the date beforehand. Classes are canceled: I did not have to take my government test, present my Spanish project or turn in my physics homework. Comedians preformed for us while moon bounces, carnival games and a scavenger hunt were set up around the school. The teachers filled our stomachs with free popcorn, snow cone stations, and tons of candy instead of our brains with knowledge. Classrooms featured movie marathons, the library offered bingo, and the cafeteria provided cookie and pumpkin decorating stations. Natalie and I took pictures, which the counselors then turned into buttons. (As a senior, I have quite a collection of VVD buttons hanging on my bulletin board.) Certainly, a surprise for us upperclassmen in the fall semester, but a fantastic day nonetheless, Veritas Vacation Day is a tradition loved by all.
