| The April edition of ePathways was taken over by the senior English class, Writing Sense. We know you will enjoy each student's article on the recent PMA events and highlights during the past month. |
| Badminton Night at PMA: by Angela Walukevich, '17 |
On March 23rd, the dorm students planned and set up a Badminton Night for the whole school. "The dorm students wanted to do a fun activity that would build a better connection the school, and be something that the whole school could be a part of," said Arthur Jia. The
night was full of raffles, music, food, and of course, Badminton! The Dupre Center had two courts set up, inviting students and staff to play the game. "It's pretty fun," said Arthur, "but we need more people to come next time we have it." He said that they prepared for a lot of people and even had extra prizes for the raffles. Some of the dorm students made some food, too, including Nicole Costa, Marcella Pedro, and Andressa Olindo Wu, who made brigadeiro, a Brazilian delicacy that is made of condensed milk, cocoa powder, butter, and chocolate sprinkles. "We played badminton," said
Nicole "and I almost won the championship, but then I lost." Arthur said that although he doesn't think they'll do another Badminton night this year, he thinks that another night like this will surely come back next year.
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| Model UN: by ySabella Santell-Wright, '17 |
On April 4th, 5th, and 6th PMA took a group of students to Model UN at the University of Massachusetts Lowell. These students comprised of members of the American Government class and members of Youth In Government. Each student represented a country and wrote a position paper for each of their committees. The students participated on the following committees: Women, Economic-Social, NATO, Refugees,World Health Organization, and Security Council. Each student argued his/her individual country's position on the topics researched. They worked with other members of their councils to create resolutions.
As a future International Affairs major, Model UN was a great experience for me. I participated in the NATO council as a representative of Lithuania. My council debated the topics of tensions with Russia and whether or not Sweden and Ukraine should be allowed into NATO. At first I was terrified of speaking because this was my first conference, but after some encouragement from my fellow delegates I finally spoke for my country. As the meetings continued I worked to sponsor an amendment for our NATO resolution that eventually passed. By the time the Conference was over I knew this was what I wanted to study. It was a great experience for me and for my classmates.
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| PMA Spring Gala and Legacy Evening: Marissa Reardon, '17 |
This year the 11th Annual Spring Gala was held at the Atkinson Resort and Country Club on Friday, March 31st, which was also the last big snow of the season...but that didn't stop us. The room was packed with over 300 guests and volunteers and was filled with energy and excitement.
The people who made this night such a success were Mrs. Sarah Hamilton, Sr. Jackie Lambert, and Mrs. Rose Maria Redman, but they couldn't have done it without the incredible parent and student volunteers who helped from start to finish to make the event a success. Throughout the night there were many activities going on. During cocktail hour people participated in a silent auction and enjoyed delicious appetizers, while
student
volunteers sold
different
items so guests could participate in various games and raffles.
After the cocktail hour, the formal dining room was open. During dinner, Staff awards were given to teachers and staff celebrating anniversaries. Legacy awards were also given to alumni and friends who embody the mission of PMA and who make a difference within the community.
Mrs. Rose Maria Redman, PMA Head of School and her husband, Kevin Redman, who also emceed a live auction, hosted the evening.
Students from the PMA Music Guild performed songs from the Spring Musical,
High School Musical On Stage
to entertain the guests and provide some after dinner entertainment.
This event raised money for student programs, scholarships and tuition assistance and this year we also kicked off our Capital Campaign to start
remodeling the main entrance of the school, promoting safety, accessibility and functionality.
The night was a great success for all involved. We cannot wait to see what next year's Gala will bring since PMA will be celebrating it's 60th Anniversary in 2018.
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| High School Musical: by Marisa George, '17 |
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Sixty students were involved in this year's musical High School Musical On Stage! More than thirty percent of students were able to sing and dance on stage, run the lights or mics, or even help paint and move sets. Senior Marissa Reardon is the first student to choreograph an entire PMA production. Marissa has helped in the past, but doing the whole show, in her words, "Definitely puts more pressure on me. It's a teaching experience. But seeing how great everyone did and how hard they worked really paid off." Her dance moves helped to radiate all the fun every student was having onstage. Ms. Foss, our director, was very proud of her and the entire cast and crew, "Everyone was so excited to do High School Musical, and everyone was so supportive of one another. I love creating a good experience for everyone, I love the whole process, and I love working with high schoolers. I'm so proud of everyone!" Her enthusiasm was for all students, whether this was their fourth show or first. One sophomore, Noah Norton loved his first experience in the show. "Ms. Foss told me if I wanted to, I could be in the show. So I said, 'Sure why not?' I was kind of nervous but I really enjoyed it. I loved meeting a bunch of new people and spending time with them." Everyone's time and hard work paid off for a fun, fabulous production that was enjoyed by many.
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| High School Musical: Behind the Scenes: Helana Castillo, '17 |
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Lights, Camera, Props! Everyone always remembers the leads in play, but what about what happens beyond center stage? Who takes charge of props, cues, or set changes? Well that's us! Tech Crew is the basis of every play or musical. We have lights, microphones, props, the general good stuff to make sure the play runs as smoothly as possible. The actors take care of their roles and characters, while we take care of the rest!
Microphones aren't as easy to keep up with as most would think, just ask senior, Paige Morrow. She's responsible for all things sound. She single-handedly controlled fourteen mics for our school's most recent production:
High School Musical: On Stage
and that wasn't even the hardest part. Her job is to remain in control of the amount of feedback each mic gives, and has to communicate with everyone all the while being at the back of the Dupre Center. She was asked to help out during her sophomore year and has continued to do it since, "I'm here because no one else knows how to do microphones." Although this may be true, Paige loves what she does because if she didn't she wouldn't have done seven productions worth.
We can't have a show without lights! There are usually three main people who work lights, but junior, Joe Mancuso, has the most experience. He started his freshman year and has done six productions overall and hopes to do them next year. His job is to remain alert of different scenes and keep the spotlight on the main leads. The other two students who join Joe on the sidelines are sophomores, Aidan Lena and Alex Thurmond. Aidan controls the light board, which helps to capture moods and emotions through the power of light and Alex keeps script in order not to miss important cues. These are the guys who one sees at the back of the room, but don't worry Joe has assured me that the light atmosphere from the whole cast prevents loneliness from ever occurring.
Props, flats, dress changes, and even making sure the curtain opens on time are jobs that belong to those behind the scenes. Stage Managers, senior, Olivia Deackoff, and junior, Eric Blomgren, make sure the show goes on with the help of myself, and junior, Simon Rodriguez. Olivia and Eric take on the heavier work because they have more authority and experience in doing what they do. Simon and I both started last year and never expected what was given to us. We moved heavy flats and locker props, and the most difficult part of wasn't even following cues, but was to make sure nothing fell over and cause a raucous on stage!
Tech week is the most stressful week filled with long hours and sometimes heavy lifting, but we techies can all agree the best part of it all was watching the show come together!
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| Dissections: by Seana Gardella, '17 |
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At the end of senior year, the Anatomy and Physiology students have the opportunity to get a close up of the parts of the body. These dissections include a sheep brain, sheep eye, and fetal pig. While the first two may be accomplished in one day, the fetal pig takes approximately three days.
It is obvious that there are those who do not enjoy the dissections as much as others, while there are those who never want to leave the lab. Senior Angela Walukevich stated, "They are really cool and interesting. It is helpful to apply what you learn in the classroom to real life. It is nice to observe and I appreciate those who cut." While for me personally, it changed my mind about what I want to accomplish after high school, sparking my interest toward a career in medicine.
Dissections allow for students to get a better understanding of what they learn in the classroom. By dissecting animals, the student gets to see, touch, and explore the systems of the body. Seeing this in real life, rather than just pictures, allows for a better comprehension of how the systems work in a single organism. While humans and animals are quite different, many organ systems of animals work similar to those of a human, which allows for the student to get a greater degree of apprehension of their own bodies. It also helps students to remember more by getting the hands on experience that dissections provide. Mrs. Lucey, our Anatomy teacher, likes doing dissections because "it is a hands on experience that brings Anatomy to a different level above coloring and looking at diagrams." No one is ever forced to do them, but it is encouraged. Some students who didn't think they would like them, ended up really enjoying it.
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| PMA Tech Club: Jack Bove, '17 |
The PMA Tech Club is a haven for "geeks" on campus. We organize meetings to go over technological development (occasionally) and to teach others about technology (occasionally). We also host a number of entertainment functions, the most well-known being the XBOX and Wii night that is generally held sometime in April. Various other functions such as LAN parties are held on a regular basis.
The PMA Tech Club strives to provide all of its members with something of substance to take away. Although the meeting schedule can be somewhat irregular, we generally experience enthusiasm from all members involved despite this. Turnout for LAN parties is always high, even among students who do not possess their own computer to participate with. The Tech Club provides loaner laptops to be used during these events, for those who are not able to bring their own. We strive to be inclusive, and provide opportunity for all who seek to be involved. Although dedicated meetings for educational purposes can be sparse, participating in any Tech Club event guarantees some absorption of technical knowledge by participating in conversation with its members.
This month, the Tech Club hosted its annual pre-vacation trip to Lazer Craze. Turnout was at a record high, with 13 total students participating. This was the first time that the Tech Club had to recruit additional transportation for said trip. Names were pre-decided for laser tag, and Tech Club members were consistently high score players during the matches. Despite most members requiring glasses, no accidental laser-blinding occurred. After concluding the match with some pizza generously provided by Mr. Klayman, the Tech Club adjourned to the van, and made its way back to school. Despite this being the final game for two of our members, the trip was a general success. The Tech Club has completed all of its major events this year, and looks forward to another bright start in the 2017-2018 school year.
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| Outstanding Students and Teachers |
| Poetry Out Loud: by Katherine Mashimo, '17 |
Poetry Out Loud is a national competition where contestants memorize and recite poetry in front of an audience. This year I was fortunate enough to participate. I won the school competition and had the honor to represent PMA in the Massachusetts semi-finals. The event took place last month on March 4th in Framingham at the Framingham Temple Association.
My teacher, Mrs. Viscosi, spoke of her experience watching the competition, "The Poetry Out Loud Competition is one of my favorite events of the year. It is an opportunity to hear favorite poems recited well and to be introduced to new ones I learn to love. This year was especially gratifying as I was able to witness the transformation of my student Katherine Mashimo blossom in the spotlight. Her delivery was perfection."
I competed against fifteen students from a variety of schools in the area. All of them were very nice and their recitations were absolutely amazing. I did the best I could, however I did not make it to the finals. This experience was a lot of fun and I wish to take part in more events in the future.
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| PMA Student Athlete - Sean Toomey: by Angela Walukevich, '17 |
PMA's senior Sean Toomey was nominated for the 2017 Student Athlete Award sponsored by the Eagle Tribune and Commonwealth Motors. The first Eagle-Tribune Student-Athlete Awards dinner honored twenty-four of the best students and athletes for their work at their high schools. Sean was recognized for his athleticism and volunteerism at this dinner on Wednesday, April 12th, "He's a credit to his family and his school," said PMA Athletic Director, Mr. Stankus.
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| Student of the Year Simon Rodriguez: by Seana Gardella, '17 |
PMA junior, Simon Rodriguez, has been awarded the 2017 Methuen Rotary Student of the Year Award. This award is given to students recognized for their academics and service to the community.
Simon stated, "It was something that I totally didn't expect! It was truly a humbling experience, and especially getting the chance to meet some of the amazing people in the community."
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| Mrs. Lucey an "Unsung Hero" |
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Mrs. Lucey with senior Seana Gardella, '17
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Mrs. Rita Lucey has been nominated as an "Unsung Hero" in the Saint Michael's College Teacher Recognition Program by her former student and Saint Michael College freshman, Joshua Dionne, '16.
Through this program Saint Michael's honors teachers who provide their students with the "academic skills and moral support necessary to be successful in post-secondary pursuits."
A few words Josh wrote about our own Mrs. Lucey include, "Mrs. Lucey not only taught me to be kind and thank God for my talents, but she encouraged me to pursue a science career. She is an incredible woman!"
Congratulations Mrs. Lucey! The award is well deserved.
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| Teacher of the Year - Zulema Llerena |
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Mrs. Llerena with her family at the Banquet.
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PMA Spanish teacher, Mrs. Llerena was named the 2017 Teacher of the Year. She was recognized at the Rotary Club of Methuen's Celebration of Achievement Banquet held on Tuesday, April 11, 2017 at Harris' Pelham Inn.
Mrs. Llerena has been teaching at PMA for 13 years. "Her warm and caring personality and genuine love for PMA, the staff, and students, adds so much to our school," said Rose Maria Redman, PMA Head of School. "I am so very happy that Zulema was recognized for her outstanding dedication and commitment to teaching and education."
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| Susan Viscosi: Boston Finisher - 26.2 |
She did it! Congratulations Mrs. Susan Viscosi, an inspiration to us all. She ran and completed the 2017 Boston Marathon. You may remember reading about the beginning of her journey in the 2015 Winter Edition of Pathways Magazine, as she spoke about qualifying for the 2017 Boston Marathon and her preparations. After many months of extensive training she achieved her goal.
We are proud of you Mrs. Viscosi!
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| The Class Behind this Edition of ePathways |
| Writing Sense: Uncovered by: Madyson Guimond, '17 |
"I can't do my taxes but I can write a mean short story."
-Jack Bove
"Writing Sense is the place where I can express my true feelings without getting sent to the guidance office."
-Izzy Santell-Wright
The Writing Sense class is one of unpredictability and adventure. Led by our fearless leader, Mrs. Rose Maria Redman, every day brings something new to the table. There have been times where we explore the outdoor world for inspiration, taking selfies and artsy photos of our surroundings, and other days where we simply sit laughing, eating freeze pops that we persuaded Mrs.Redman to hand out to us. A combination of enthusiasm, obstinance, and no small amount of exhaustion on Mrs.Redman's part, this is an overall comical, entertaining class.
In all honesty, however, Writing Sense is a place where we have the freedom to explore our creative outputs. It's a place where we are granted the ability to exact our independence and express who we truly are, through both written and spoken word. Every day brings something new to the table.
I can honestly say this class will be missed by all who take part in it, particularly Mrs.Redman who will spend her days in sadness and pain without seeing our smiling, animated faces every day. This was a fantastic class to end our years at PMA with, and as one of my fellow classmates Angela Walukevich says, "10/10, would recommend."
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Here are some pictures of the juniors at their retreat
doing team building exercises. |
| Spring Gala and Legacy Evening |
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Or download a printable 2016-2017 school calendar here
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Open Mic Night
Thursay, May 4
Library
7:00 p.m.
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Welcome Class of 2021
Wednesday, May 17
Dupre Center
6:30 - 8: 00 pm
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Junior / Senior Prom
Friday, May 19
Haverhill Country Club
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Field Trip Day
Tuesday, May 23
Grade 11 - New York City - 9/11 Memorial
Grade 10 - Boston - Freedom Trail
Grade 9 - Lowell - Textile Museum
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Baccalaureate Mass
Wednesday, May 24
Saint Lucy's Parish
5:00
Followed by Graduation Dinner at the Merrimack Valley Country Club for the class of 2017
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Commencement Ceremony
Class of 2017
Friday, May 26
Dupre Center
4:00 pm
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Memorial Day
Monday, May 29
No School
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Yankee Candle Fundraising Drive
Yankee Candle has committed to help PMA all school year long.
Anytime you shop online they will make a donation to our school. Visit
www.yankeecandlefundraising.com and enter group #99896054 in the "start shopping" box.
Thank you for your support!
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GoodShop
Hands down, online shopping is the easiest way to shop. Through GoodShop, you can donate back to PMA, in the comfort of your own home, office, or wherever you online shop. Goodshop has partnered with
over 5,000 stores to offer you daily online promotions and coupons. Plus, they give a percentage of your total back to your favorite non-profit. That could be us!
Before you shop, quickly set up a user name and password and don't forget to assign Presentation of Mary Academy, Methuen, MA as your non-profit of choice! Everybody wins! Happy shopping.
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Amazon Smile
You can support PMA every time you shop online at Amazon.com! Especially now since you need to fill those Easter baskets, shop for Mother's Day or graduations.
Through the Amazon Smile program, Amazon will donate 0.5 % of your purchase to PMA. It's that simple. Just make sure you select Presentation of Mary Academy - Methuen, MA as your charity of choice. Or click in the link below to to be taken directly to smile.amazon.com in support of PMA. Doesn't that make you want to smile?
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The 2016-2017 Annual Fund is Underway.
Money raised through this fund helps support student programs, athletics, and allows us to offer tuition assistance to deserving families.
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