Welcome to the March issue of On the Hill, Mary Help of Christians Academy monthly e-newsletter. On the Hill offers an inside view of life at Mary Help and all the other remarkable things that happen on campus each and every day. Read on to see for yourself the difference a Mary Help education makes...

Dear MHC Academy Family and Friends, There is so much excitement in the air after our recent productions, the beginning of our spring sports season, and the re-accreditation by the Middle States Association! There continues to be a flurry of activity “on the hill,” and all of it brings great enthusiasm and excitement to students, teachers, parents, staff, and future Bluejays. In the report that was offered at the conclusion of our Middle States visit, we heard how much the team was able to witness the love that is so much a part of our life here at the Academy. There was delight with the academic rigor of our program, the variety of activities offered to students, and the sisterhood that marks our interactions. The team of educators who planned and executed the self-study used their gifts in preparing the report, organizing data, and gathering evidence and information. The production of Frozen Jr. by Mrs. Cardona and the Mary Help Players brought together talents and gifts from each of the students. I was delighted to witness the parents who helped with the play, whether in makeup, wardrobe, seating, playbill preparation, concessions, baskets, set construction, and many other areas. Sometimes, I think about Jesus’ admonition about our talents, and how He promised more talents to those who invest what has been given to them, “For to everyone who has, more will be given and he will grow rich; but from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away.” (Matthew 25:29) My prayer is that these efforts to use our talents will be multiplied so that we can enjoy God’s many gifts to us! All this is a reminder to invest the good that God has put in our hearts. Whether on the field or the stage, whether in the playground or the classroom, no matter what, let’s realize that God has great plans for us to fulfill as we use His gifts to bring about the kingdom! Sincerely,

SPRING MUSICAL - FROZEN, Jr.! MHC Academy's Spring Musical was a huge success! Frozen, Jr. tells "the story of true love and acceptance between sisters - Princesses Anna and Elsa. When faced with danger, the two discover their hidden potential and the powerful bond of sisterhood." With full crowds for each of its four performances, the cast and crew did a magnificent job. A big congratulations to our Director, Mrs. Lucia Cardona as well!

GREAT KINDNESS CHALLENGE The Great Kindness Challenge, took place February 28 - March 4. During this week the entire school community was encouraged to build habits of kindness by fulfilling daily challenges. They included going a whole day without complaining, inviting a new friend to hang out with you, and showing appreciation to faculty and staff, among many others. Let's continue to live up to this, and try to bring kindness to life in our world!

GLOW IN THE DARK VOLLEYBALL The Student Council hosted a Glow in the Dark Volleyball night on Friday, March 4th. Teams competed in a friendly tournament with time to decorate their faces with fluorescent paint and take photos around the glowing gym. Thanks to all who came out for a great night! We were so happy to have this event back after a two year absence!

Spring is Here! And all of our Spring sports are in full swing! We have a full line up this season including, Softball, Track, Lacrosse and 8th Grade Volleyball. Follow us on IG @maryhelpnj_athletics for schedule updates, game/meet results, highlights and more!

SPRING VOLLEYBALL Our 8th grade volleyball team, consisting of 12 members, opened their season with a very competitive game on March 10th against Eastern Christian. They have continued to play other local middle school teams throughout March. They close up the season with a Wednesday (3/30) home game against Hawthorne Christian Academy at 4pm. Good luck to our Blue Jays in their final game!

TRACK Our Varsity Track team travels to our brother school, Don Bosco Prep, for daily practices. We are excited to be able to work with our brothers and have their support! Our team consists of 3 seniors, 2 juniors, 2 sophomores and 6 freshmen. Track will open up their season on Tuesday, April 5th at Don Bosco Prep at 4:15pm. We will also be competing in track meets at the Prep on Tuesday, April 12th and the 19th.

LACROSSE We are excited to have our Lacrosse Program back up and running. Our JV Lacrosse team consists of 4 juniors, 2 sophomores and 7 freshmen, who have been practicing hard these past few weeks preparing for their season. The lacrosse team has their first game on Thursday, April 7th at Saddle Brook High School at 5:30pm.

SOFTBALL Our Varsity Softball Team consists of 3 seniors, 5 juniors, 1 sophomore and 4 freshmen. This year’s team is returning 7 starters from the 2021 season. We are looking to have a strong season, following their 8-3-1 2021 record. The softball team opens their season on Monday, April 4th at Garfield High School for a 4pm start and will host their first Home Game on Wednesday, April 6th vs Manchester Regional at 4pm at the North Haledon Rec Field, field #4. (Seniors pictured are: Zorya Morgan, Christianna Pagano, Raquel Jacquet)

MIDDLE STATES ACCREDITATION We celebrated our reaccreditation with the Middle States Association on Thursday, March 24th. Feel free to watch the oral report here. The visiting team had an abundance of good things to say and they particularly identified the "sisterhood" that they found pervaded interactions and the life of MHC Academy. This indicates that the group was able to tangibly experience the Salesian Family Spirit. Let us thank God for the gift of one another and for our Salesian charism!

ITALIAN PEN PALS In Mrs. Cillo's Italian Classes, students are getting the opportunity to make international pen pals! The students have already begun sending bi-weekly emails to their new friends in Rome and later in the month they will speak live with them. What a great way to practice those Italian skills in real time!

FORENSICS CLUB We're going to Nationals! At the end of February, the Forensics Grand Tournament took place here at MHC Academy. Two of our students, senior Maya Watters and freshman Lillian Kopacz qualified for the National Competition that will take place in Washington, D.C. over Memorial Day weekend. Congratulations to the whole team for an amazing season and to our Mrs. Sullivan, our faculty moderator. We are proud of you!

SALESIAN LEADERSHIP RETREAT The Salesian Leadership Retreat was held on March 7th - 10th in Stony Point, NY. The week was an opportunity for the participants to grow in their love of Jesus and their wider Salesian Family - with skits, witness talks, time to play outside (in snow!) and receive the Sacraments. Young people came from our Salesian schools NY, NJ, FL, LA, and DC. Three alumnae from MHC Academy even returned to be members of the core retreat team. Valdocco truly lives in our schools and in our hearts forever! We love our Salesian Family!

At the March PTG meeting speaker Jen Velten from the Bergen Trauma Training Center presented, "Hope & Resiliency: Coming Out of the Pandemic with Post Traumatic Growth" How can we build strength and resilience in our young people when they return to school? The training explored what resilience is and how important it is to cultivate resilience in our students and school communities. Parents and caregivers were given strategies to use to foster students' post-traumatic growth.

THE MORESE EXPERIENCE - JUNE 10 - 13, 2022 Join the Salesian Sisters for a unique summer experience living the spirituality of St. Mary Mazzarello, co-foundress of the Sisters. This program is open to women ages 18-30 and is held at the Salesian Sisters’ beautiful retreat house in Newton, NJ. Participants will have time to reflect, share their faith journey with other young women, and engage in exciting outdoor activities. The cost of the week is $175 and includes all meals, a single room accommodation and activities. For more information, click here.

INTERNATIONAL NIGHT Come support the Senior Class when they host International Night on April 9th from 5:30 - 8:30pm. Try a whole array of delicious foods from around the world! Tickets at the door are $15 for adults and $10 for children under 12 years old. Be sure to invite friends and family for a culturally enriching and fun time!

TEEN JOB FAIR On Friday, April 8th there will be a job fair for students look for jobs, volunteer opportunities, or internships. Registration is open for students and businesses! Pass the word along! Some of the businesses currently signed up include: Goldfish Swim School Urban Bricks Pizza Wayne YMCA NJ Pediatric Neuroscience Institute Spring Lake Day Camp YWCA of Northern NJ Elite Gymnastics Ridgewood YMCA Market Basket Inserra Foods (Shop Rite) Gravity Vault Kidzz Kreations Party Services Mad Science of Northeast NJ American Pool Flynn O’Hara Macaluso's Banquets DV Casting Girl Scouts of Northern NJ

This month our movement is from "Isolation to Encounter." Blessed Maria Troncotti sought out those who were isolated by encountering them where they were and in the situations they found themselves. A missionary when she was in her 40s, Sr. Maria traveled from Italy to Ecuador to work with the Shuar people in the jungles of Ecuador during the 1920s. She used her medical knowledge to help the people physically and her love and kindness to help them spiritually. She was not afraid to move about in a culture and region that were different from what she was used to. Are there people you avoid, consciously or unconsciously, because they are different from you? What might the Holy Spirit be able to do in our lives if we opened ourselves to encounter others this month?

MHC Academy 659 Belmont Avenue North Haledon, NJ 07508 P. 973.850-7467 F. 973.790.6125 maryhelp.org

‌ ‌ ‌