THE MARIA ACADEMY MAGAZINE 8TH EDITION b SUMMER 2018

“Those who trust in the Lord will find new strength.”

– Isaiah 40:31

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‘‘Busy” is not a strong enough word to describe what happens during the school year. Starting in September, the events, holy days, and ordinary days fly by. That’s the way we like it. It means we are doing our job creating an active and engaged community of learners. We find the spirit of God in this nurturing Catholic com-

munity: in the faces of our students, the efforts of our teachers, the love of our parents, and the busyness of our work.

Summer vacation punctuates the year. Schedules and routines fall away as the corridors grow quiet. In this stillness, we feel the Spirit beckoning us to look back at all the accomplishments that result from our busy days: the achievements, growing maturity, and advancing progress of our students, the deepening bonds of community among our parents, and the conviction of an ever-broadening Villa community that supports and sustains us as we teach as Jesus did. In the summer stillness we are reminded that we are here in this place and at this time to do God’s work. He renews us with the fire of His love.

I am proud and grateful as I look back on another year of lessons learned, challenges met, and memories made. To conclude a very full year, we sent the Villa Maria Academy Class of 2018 off with blessings and celebration at the graduation mass. These children were shaped in an environment imbued with the spirit of St. Marguerite. We pray with confidence that her spirit will continue to guide their lives as they take her message of love, respect, and service out to the world.

I hope that you and your family will take time to appreciate the stillness of summer and find in it renewal and restoration.

St. Marguerite Bourgyeos, pray for us.

Love,

Sr. Teresa Barton, CND Principal

VILLA MARIA ACADEMYBoard of Trustees, 2017-2018

Sr. Sally Norcross, CND, Chairperson

Sr. Marion Andreykovic, CNDSr. Teresa Barton, CNDMr. Paul BossidyMrs. Rose BurkhartMs. Helen CannistraciSr. Joan Curtin, CNDMrs. Roberta GarlandSr. Eileen Good, CNDMrs. Gheri KaufmanMrs. Catherine LeonMr. James J. LiaoSr. Jane Scanlon, CND

Guided by the vision of the Congregation of Notre Dame, the mission of Villa Maria Academy is to provide a foundation in liberating education within a nurturing Catholic community.

– VILLA MARIA ACADEMY MISSION STATEMENT

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“Come Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful and kindle in them the fire of your love. Send forth your Spirit and they shall be created. And You shall renew the face of the earth.”

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Scholarship, Leadership, Service, Citizenship and Character

T he Villa Maria Academy Class of 2018 graduation was celebrated with a prayerful and joyful mass sending the newest Villa alumni out into the world with blessings and benedictions. The 35 gradu-

ates have been accepted into 19 high schools and earned more than $1 million in high school scholarships! Several of the new graduates were recognized for special achievements in scholarship and leadership.

The graduation mass and ceremony took place on a beautiful June morn-ing in a gym filled with proud parents, grandparents, and relatives. The graduates read readings, intercessions, and brought up the gifts. Their voices filled the space as they sang songs from the many liturgies and traditional events they attended over many years at the Villa.

Academic achievement is always celebrated at the Villa. Teams of students participate in local and regional competitions in math, science, and spelling throughout the year. This year, the Villa 7th-grade boys honors math team took home the first place trophy in

the Iona Prep Father’s Council Math Olympiad. Villa students also won individual awards.

An annual science tournament includes science projects created by all students in 5th-8th grades. Various rounds of peer-review and judging determine top of the class projects that go on to represent the Villa at a regional science fair for Catholic schools. Spelling is also celebrated annually with an annual spelling bee. The Villa winner goes on to challenge students from other schools in a regional competition. The Villa junior high corridors are lined with trophies, ribbons, and certificates illustrating the academic achievements of generations of Villa students.

The celebration of scholarship and leadership is embodied in the Saint Marguerite Bourgeoys Chapter of the National Junior Honor Society that recognizes middle school students who demonstrate excellence and epitomize qualities of scholarship and leadership. The group directs acts of service that model good school and community citizenship. An annual candlelight ceremony in the Great Hall welcomes new members and acknowledges graduating members. The group leads recycling efforts highlighting

the Villa’s focus on responsible environmental stewardship and tutoring and peer mentoring continuing the Villa’s tradition of collegiality and family bonds within the student body.

At this year’s ceremony, Michael Crorkin ’14, a chapter alumnus and soon-to-be Division 1 NCAA athlete, concluded the ceremony speaking about how membership in the NJHS helped him develop resilience and turn challenges into successes in high school. a

Future

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JEREMY FUENTES ’16

“One man in his time plays many parts…” – WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE

As a high school principal in New York City’s public school system, Jeremy’s mother, Lisa, was an informed consumer when it came time to find a school for her son. She was impressed by Villa Maria Academy’s academic program coupled with a great variety of extracurricular activities. She might not have realized it then, but this

proved to be the perfect combination for a child who would grow up to be a budding musical theater star.

The commitment of the Congregation of Notre Dame to deliver “liberating education” ensures that Villa students receive a holistic education including a strong commitment to the arts and physical education. Music, in particular, is a part of the curriculum in every grade thanks to music teacher Stuart Drosnes who has been on the faculty for over twenty years. Ask any alumnus, no matter how long ago they graduated, and they will probably be able to sing a few bars of one of the many songs that provided a soundtrack to their early years at the Villa. Liturgical and holiday celebrations always feature the children’s voices front and center. From the kindergarten Sweethearts Brunch to middle-grades musical productions like The Adventures of Tom Sawyer to the Junior High Drama Club presenting full-scale Broadway musicals like The Music Man, the Villa provides a solid foundation in musical theory and plenty of opportunities to perform.

As a Villa student, Jeremy learned to sing with his classmates for events like Peace Day, Christmas, and masses and then in school musicals as part of the Junior High Drama Club performing in Oliver! in 6th-grade and as Mr. Harry Macafee in Bye Bye Birdie in 8th-grade. At that moment, he was hooked.

When he arrived at Archbishop Stepinac High School, he auditioned for the musical. His Villa foundation served him well and he was surprised to find himself cast in the starring role in The Hunchback of Notre Dame in his freshman year. And what a performance it was! He won the leading actor award at the 19th annual Metropolitan High School Theater Awards at Purchase College’s Performing Arts Center and the show won the outstanding overall performance award. Since then, Jeremy’s been quickly adding to his list of credits as Jack Kelly in Newsies and Chad in Almost Maine, among others.

Archbishop Stepinac has a long history of theater so it’s a great place for Jeremy to further develop his considerable talent. The well-known Bronx-born actor, Alan Alda, is an alumnus and the schools’ drama club alumni continue to produce annual musicals as a dedicated performance group. The school produces both a drama and a musical annually so Jeremy will continue to benefit from many performance opportunities, while adding voice coaching to his extracurricular program and working in local theater productions as he focuses more and more on his passion for acting and singing. Over the summer break he will appear in Rent, Hair, and In The Heights. He is actively building up his resume in preparation for applications to colleges with strong theater arts programs in the coming years. Then look out Broadway!

Jeremy credits his teachers with making him the young man he is today. “The teachers prepared us for the more rigorous curriculum in high school and gave me confidence.” But what’s even more precious to Jeremy is the love of his Villa family. “I miss seeing my friends everyday…I consider them to be my brothers and sisters.” So he stays an active part of the Villa, even acting as the leader of song for this year’s graduation mass under the direction of Mr. Drosnes. “I believe I am the only one out of my high school friends who still gets together with all of my friends from elementary school. This is a unique thing that I never hear from other kids my age.”

The Villa will always be a second home and extended family full of friends and fans encouraging him to shoot for the stars and delight-ing in all his successes. a

ALUMNI NEWS

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JESSICA CASUCCI, ATTENDED VILLA MARIA ACADEMY 1979 – 1986

A Legacy of Lifelong Learning…

Rose Reda Gorley started high school at the Villa Maria Academy in the waning days of the Second World War, graduating in 1948. A woman

before her time, she went on from there to study sociology and pursue not one but three careers as an English teacher, microbiologist, and psychiatric social worker, finishing her career at Jacobi Hospital, not far from her home in the Bronx. She was a lifelong learner and a progressive thinker. Throughout her life she treasured her time at the Villa for affirming her belief that women could do anything. For her, it was more than a school. It was a gift.

Years later when she became a grand-mother to Jessica, she wanted to pass that gift along. Jessica’s parents agreed that she should have a solid education in a nurturing, Catholic environment where she could also receive religious education and her sacraments. They appreciated the fact that the Villa’s student body was diverse and the ethos more progressive than other neighborhood schools. Finally, thanks to Rose, Jessica was enrolled in kindergarten and spent the next seven years loving her school. “The Villa has always been like a family to me.”

The Villa was a perfect fit for Jessica, an intellectually gifted and ambitious child. “It was a great place to grow up — to learn and be nurtured by teachers and other parents who cared for you.” When she was in 6th-grade, her exceptional intellect won her a scholarship to Horace Mann, one of New York City’s most exclusive, expensive, and sought-after private schools. It broke her heart to leave the Villa where she felt at home.

Fortunately, the Villa had given Jessica more than a feeling of security and comfort. At Horace Mann, students were expected to be independent with autonomous executive functioning skills. At the Villa, teachers challenged students to high standards of personal behavior, values, and academic excellence so Jessica was already self-directed and self-motivated. She knew how to aim high, set goals, and get things done so she was supremely well-prepared for Horace Mann and every other educational and career challenge to come.

After earning her Bachelor of Science degree in finance at the Boston University School of Management, she earned her Juris Doctor at New York University School of Law, soon after gaining admittance to the New York State Bar Association. With a spe-cialty in tax law, she spent over fifteen years at the highest levels of some of the most prominent accounting firms in the country. She gained significant experience serving large, multinational private equity, real estate and venture capital firms, hedge funds, and related companies with a focus on global compliance and reporting and tax process improvement and technology transformation.

The Villa was where it all began and Jessica credits much of her success to her solid foundation, and not just her professional achievements but also those things that money can’t buy. After all, the Villa taught her how to maintain and nurture a community of friends, just like Rose who met her lifelong, closest friend, Mary McHugh, at the Villa. Jessica’s Villa friends are still her nearest and dearest. So, when Rose passed away at the age of 85, Jessica knew precisely how to fully acknowledge and honor her grandmother’s priceless gift. She decided to pay it forward by helping a struggling Villa family with tuition assistance. Because of Rose, and because of Jessica, another Villa student will have their sights set high, their skills nurtured and supported, and know beyond a shadow of a doubt that that they are precious and capable of anything. a

ALUMNI NEWS

Villa Maria Academy Class of 1948.

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We Shall RememberGraduates from all but two of the Villa Maria Academy classes of the 1950s gathered for a reunion on a beautiful spring day back home on the Villa campus. Some came from as far away as New Hampshire and Pennsylvania. Many began the morning with a quiet stroll around the campus and down memory lane.

At mass, the group prayed for departed faculty and classmates and thanked God for the opportunity to be together at this special moment. Then the group retired to the library that many remember as the chapel, still retaining its magnificent stained glass windows. Albion, a kindergarten student, sang “God Bless America.” Then, after a delicious catered lunch and specially-decorated “Villa Maria Academy” cake, Sofia, the sixth-grade headliner of The Music Man, sang some of the show’s well-known tunes. A round robin of intro-ductions was a great way to re-introduce guests to one another and the school itself. Finally, a slideshow of photos from the archives

captured guests’ attention as they searched for familiar faces and places.

The 1950s reunion was inspired by a group of intrepid Class of 1953 Villa girls who organized a “virtual reunion” via SKYPE last year. At the end of that reunion, they decided to try something IRL (in real life) and opened it up to alumnae from other classes in the decade.

Look for a 1960’s reunion in the coming school year!

The Family That Plays TogetherWhen asked to describe the Villa, students and alumni, young and old, both current and long-graduated, regularly use the word “family” before “school.” Warmth, security, encouragement, nurturing, care — all these and more are attributes of the Villa family.

Family bonds are strong because the Villa is committed to growing them. This happens through intentional efforts and annual events that give parents and siblings the chance to meet each other, develop friendships, and work together

to support the school. They also make good memories together and give Villa students the assurance that they have lots of caring indi-viduals they can rely on at the school — besides teachers, faculty and coaches, everyone else’s parents too!

Pre-kindergarten classes have a morning just for dads called “Donuts with Dads.” There were crafts, wearable art, refreshments, and lots of donuts. Colorful classrooms became even more colorful with sand art and flexible flower sculptures and lots of smiles. Kindergarten through 3rd-grade classes have an annual family picnic when the campus is turned over to families sunning themselves, playing Frisbee, and sharing lunch together on the lawn. 5th-graders have their own picnic in the days leading up to summer vacation. A massive effort of the VMA Fathers’ Club results in the annual spring fair with lots of grilling, bouncy castles, raffles and carnival games and then a cookout and campout to celebrate the end of the school year.

Villa Family Night celebrates the achievements of the soon-to-be graduates and gives 8th-graders and their parents a night to look back as a family on all their Villa years. After a ceremonial distribution of special awards, they receive their caps and gowns. This year’s group sang “The Climb,” urging them to keep the faith in future challenges. Then the Visitation Center was turned into an elegantly appointed dining room as the 7th-grade students served a catered meal while family members enjoyed a slide show spanning many years of memories.

Time FliesThe Villa Maria Academy Class of 2014 gathered together to celebrate their upcoming high school graduations. One-hundred percent of the graduates have plans to attend college in the fall so that was an exciting update to share too!

Everyone was excited to see each other and catch up with each other and with former teachers. Over 60% of the class was able to attend the event. We look forward to welcoming them back home to the Villa in another four years to celebrate college graduations!. a

Family

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In Christ Jesus, We Are OneThe highlight of 2nd-grade is Holy Communion. Villa 2nd-graders spend the year learning about the Catholic sacraments as part of their preparation. A baby doll baptism helps them know the importance of being received into the Catholic family as an infant. Their teacher becomes “Fr. Kilgen” for the day to give them the experience of rec-onciliation. Finally, in spring, they take a “bread retreat” where they bake bread, bless it and eat it, together with some grape juice “wine.”

Finally, after receiving First Holy Communion in their home parishes, they come together to receive communion for the first time as a fam-ily, dressed in their finest dresses and suits, surrounded by friends, teachers, and family members, at the Villa Family Communion Mass.

The children read readings and petitions, bring up the gifts, and lead the songs. The Great Hall is beautifully decorated with white flowers, paper daisies and gossamer fabric. The children’s art lines the walls. After a special serenade for their parents, all the guests gather for a reception.

Flowers of the RarestAmong many Villa traditions, the May Crowning ceremony is the longest running. This year it took place on a beautiful May morning under the direction of Campus Ministry. The annual celebration of the Blessed Mother features placing a crown of flowers on the statue of Mary that looks protectively over the campus from the cornerstone of Mary’s Walk.

All grades participate in the May Crowning either through song, prayer, or reflection. Classes celebrating sacraments or milestones — 2nd-grade First Communicants, 7th- and 8th-grade recently confirmed students, and graduating 8th-graders — receive special blessings. Parents and neighbors join to make it a true community celebration.

“For the people in this school, and any other school, to never be hurt like this ever again.”To honor the victims of the Newtown school shooting of December, 2012, the students of the Villa Maria Academy Class of 2013 painted a mural of a peaceful garden with 26 butter-flies, one for each of the victims, under the watchful gaze of the Sacred Heart of Jesus.

To honor the victims of the Parkland school shooting of February, 2018, Villa Maria Academy students joined the National Student Walkout. After praying together, they processed past the Newtown mural to remember too many innocent lives lost to gun violence.

The National School Walkout was held on March 14th, one month after the Parkland shooting. Students across the country and the world walked out of their schools to honor the seventeen lives lost at Parkland. At the Villa, the walkout was a 17-minute vigil, one minute for each victim. Students walked out of the building, around the campus, and back inside to pray and share with each other. a

Faith

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Sr. Elizabeth Scully, 1926-2018

The Villa family celebrates the life and contribution of former principal, Sister Elizabeth Scully, CND, who died peacefully at the age of 92, surrounded by her CND Sisters in Wilton, Connecticut this past April.

In 1946, Sr. Elizabeth entered the Congregation of Notre Dame in Montreal, Canada professing her first vows in August 1948 and her perpetual vows in 1954. Thus began an almost-70-year-long vocation and career in education.

Sr. Elizabeth devoted her life to Catholic school students and to the Sisters of the Congregation of Notre Dame. She spent eight of those years, from 1970-1978, here with us in the Bronx. Villa teachers remember her kindness, cheerfulness, and graciousness, as well as the nurturing love she lavished on Villa students and families. Sr. Elizabeth took the helm at a challenging time as the Villa was transforming from an all-girls K-12 school to a co-ed elementary school. With her leadership, the school maintained a single-minded dedication to mission and retained its essential qualities despite the changes.

Sr. Elizabeth also served as a teacher at St. Jean Baptiste High School. She was also a teacher or principal in other schools in Connecticut, Rhode Island, Illinois, and New Jersey. She was also Mistress of Novices and Provincial Leader in the United States Province of the Congregation. She ministered as Consultant in Religious Education and Associate Superintendent in the Catholic Schools Office in Providence, Rhode Island, and Associate Superintendent of Catholic Schools in Newark, New Jersey.

Sister Elizabeth’s unique gifts were to treat others with respect, gentleness and compassion. She will be deeply missed by her Sisters in the Congregation, her friends and family, and the many people she influenced both here at the Villa and throughout the region.

The Villa family gratefully remembers Sr. Elizabeth and holds her in our hearts and prayers. Well done good and faithful servant. May you rest in peace. a

IN MEMORIAM

ELEANOR PIEKENBROCK MULLINS Villa Maria Academy Class of 1950

‘‘My name in the Villa was Eleanor Piekenbrock. I graduated in 1950 when I was 18 years old. I remember all the nuns who taught me. They were

great teachers and prepared all of us for the future.

My future was probably not the same as many of my classmates. I did not go to college. While I was still 18 years old, I met and fell in love with a 20 year old young man. We married in April of 1953 after he had spent two years in the U.S. Army during the Korean War. My husband, George Mullins, was a sergeant in the army and became a captain of police in New York City. He won a scholarship and attended St. John’s University School of Law. Upon graduation, he became a lawyer.

We had two children, both boys, who graduated from college. Kevin, our older son, became a C.P.A. and then attended law school. He began a business as a tax lawyer and became very successful. Our son, Christopher, became an electrical engineer. Both of our boys have given us grandchildren — all boys.

My husband and I have been married for 65 years. I am now 86 years old, and George is 88. I have been talking about the Villa for 68 years and I pray that some of my classmates are doing the same.” a

TELL US YOUR STORY!

The Villa beach — then and now.

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For Lenore Maroney, the Villa was a dream come true; first, for her mother, Eleanor, and then for her. As a young

girl, Eleanor dreamed of attending the Villa, but she didn’t have the opportunity. So, when she was a parent with a little girl of her own, she made sure to send her daugh-ter. Lenore started 1st-grade in 1956 and spent the next 12 years learning, growing, and developing friendships, skills, and maturity in her “home away from home.”

After all those Villa years, Lenore remembers most the challenging academic program and high yet attainable standards. “We were taught grammar and writing skills and did a lot of both. I remember Mother St. Maureen, our 7th grade teacher, having us go up to the board to practice the various tenses.” Among a panoply of courses, she can’t really single out the one with the great-est emphasis. In a holistic program, math, science, social studies, French, Latin, music, art and drama were all equally important. And the teachers (then all sisters) had every confidence in the students and challenged them with a range of material, even at an early age. “We had a French coloring book in 1st and 2nd grades!”

Lenore credits her Villa foundation with a solid preparation for a long academic career that continues to this day as a college pro-fessor. Her teaching vocation was inspired by a summer job when she was 16-years-old at Camp Marydell, an all-girls overnight camp located in Nyack, NY. The camp took in mostly inner-city children from the Bronx, Brooklyn, and Queens. The minimum age for counselors was 17 but the Director of the Camp, Sr. Michael, made an emergency exception. Lenore led a cabin of 11- and 12-year old girls who came from challeng-ing circumstances in all the traditional camp activities like sports, hiking, campfires, plays, overnights, music, crafts, and team challenges. They celebrated Mass every

morning in an outdoor chapel. At the end of camp the counselors were paid a $40 salary for 2-months of work. It was then that Sr. Michael took Lenore aside and said, “You have a gift with children. I have watched you all summer and I see how you handle them. It is a God-given gift that you should not take lightly. You must go on and do something with this.” A teacher was born.

Lenore felt that self-worth as a student at the Villa. To her it was more than a school. It was where she spent her entire youth. She vividly remembers the many milestones of her formative years celebrated in that special place. “My relationship with God began in that beautiful chapel as a 2nd-grader making my First Holy Communion on May 4, 1958, my Confirmation on October 11, 1960, receiv-ing my high school ring on Oct.24th, 1967 and my graduations from both elementary school & high school on June 5th, 1964 and 1968 respectively.” In her memory, it’s almost a magical place. “I remember hearing the nuns singing in the chapel every morning (if you got to school early enough). It felt like a scene from The Sound of Music.”

From the Villa, she went on to obtain her Bachelor of Science degree in Art Education with a minor in Psychology and Education from the College of Mount Saint Vincent.

Lenore began teaching right after college in September of 1972 at Red Hook Junior High School in Red Hook, NY. She continued her education while teaching, earning a Master of Arts from Manhattan College, and Doctor of Psychology from Southern California University.

After a 38-year career in schools, Lenore graduated to university teaching. Now an adjunct assistant professor of education at Marist College and a part-time lecturer at Manhattan College, she inspires a new generation of teachers and guidance counselors. The wisdom of a lifetime in the classroom has taught her that the relationship one builds between the child and

the teacher is of the utmost importance. “Having someone see you means you have value. Having someone say, “I’ve been watching you,” means you are important in their eyes. Being seen and being important means you have worth. You then don’t want to let those people down who believe in you and you now believe in yourself and have confidence.”

Lenore tries to pass that wisdom on to her current students — all budding teachers. Her love for the sacred field of teaching is infectious and earns her high marks and enthusiasm from them as they benefit from her lifelong love of teaching and learning and a treasure trove of stories.

Lenore still values her Villa family. With an archival memory and immaculate attention to detail she has kept up contact with all but a small number of classmates. She is still inspired to organize alumni reunions. She is currently planning the grand 50th reunion for the Class of 1968 coming up on October 20th, 2018 on the Villa campus with dinner afterwards in Tarrytown.

“We are the ” Villa Girls” and always will be, no matter how old we are, no matter whether we were at the Villa from K-12 or 9-12. We are the “Villa Girls”!” a

LENORE MARONEY, Elementary School ’64, High School ‘68“It was probably the greatest gift I ever received.”

ALUMNI NEWS

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The leadership and trustees of Villa Maria Academy launched a spe-cial campaign, “Faith in the Future,” on April 19th at the Harvard Club in Manhattan. The goal of the campaign is to raise $75,000 for scholarships so more families will be able to send their children

to the Villa. The first priority is strengthening enrollment to stay competi-tive and relevant into the future. At the kick-off event, donors contributed nearly $40,000 leaving $35,000 left to reach the goal. All contributions help the sisters of the Congregation of Notre Dame to continue to teach like Jesus did and serve the children of God in the Bronx.

Serving today’s families comes with financial stresses and unprec-edented challenges but the CND sisters have been here before. In 1886, when the bishop of New York asked them to start a school for young women who needed skills for a new century they rose to the challenge. The Villa’s mission is as relevant today as it ever was including in those first days of the Villa. No matter when, children must be taught to believe in their innate talents and work to develop their gifts. Education will always liberate human potential.

Villa Maria Academy is thriving over a century after its founding. Over the years, the school has served thousands of children, showing them that they can accomplish anything and teaching them how to learn and strive to achieve their goals. Thousands of alumni have gone on to great things, respecting knowledge, contributing to the world, and appreciating their strong Villa foundation. What an amazing legacy we can look back on! What encouragement for the future!

In September, all Villa friends and family will receive a special solicitation for “Faith in the Future.” Please consider your own contribu-tion. If you would like to make a special contribution to support the “Faith in the Future” scholarship fund now, please send a contribu-tion in the enclosed envelope or go to www.vma-ny.org/support to make your gift today. Your generosity is deeply appreciated.

In September, the Villa Maria Academy will begin its 133rd school year in New York City with more students, more capacity, and more momentum. We have faith in our alumni. We have faith in our students. We have faith in the future! a

Faith in the Future

A Good Walk Spoiled

Villa golfers took to the course on a beautiful spring day in May to raise money to support tuition assistance at the Villa. After a chilly morning, the sun came out for tee time. More golfers and more guests than ever came out to support

the cause of building scholarships for hard-working Villa families.

After 18 holes of golf on the magnificent Rye Golf Course overlooking the Long Island Sound, golfers joined additional guests for a multi-course meal, drinks and

even ice cream sundaes in the historic Whitby Castle. After dinner the fun continued with a program including awarding golf-related prizes, a 50/50 raffle, and a box pool. First-class prizes included a full set of Taylor Made clubs and a week in an Outerbanks beach house. The outing raised nearly $15,000 for Villa students. a

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Ways to GiveGIFTS OF CASH Mail your check, payable to the Villa Maria Academy, in the enclosed envelope to the Villa Maria Academy Advancement Office at 3335 Country Club Road, Bronx, NY 10465.

CREDIT CARDS To make a secure credit card gift online, visit us at www.vma-ny.org, and go to Support/Give Now, or call Caroline Hennessy at (718) 824-3260.

MATCHING GIFTS Matching gifts can increase the impact of your gift by doubling your contribution. Please contact your human resources department to find out if your company has a matching gift program and obtain the necessary forms then send them to the Villa Maria Academy Advancement Office at 3335 Country Club Road, Bronx, NY 10465.

PLANNED GIVING You can support the vision of St. Marguerite Bourgeoys by helping her sisters continue the legacy of teaching like Jesus did with bequests, charitable trusts, or gifts of other assets.

Your contribution is very important. All gifts, large or small, make a difference. Thank you for your generosity. For more information, contact Caroline Hennessy, Director of Advancement, at chennessy@vma-ny.org or (718) 824-3260.

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CALLING ALL ALUMNI Update your contact information and send us news by visiting the Alumni section of www.vma-ny.org under the “Keep in Touch” page or emailing chennessy@vma-ny.org.

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Upcoming Events

SEPTEMBER 6

First Day of SchoolSEPTEMBER 21

Peace DayOCTOBER 20

Class of 1968 50th ReunionNOVEMBER 8

Annual Bridge