April/May 2023

Joanna Abaraoha, MD '14, a resident at University of Rochester, continues to focus on service

Joanna Abaraoha, MD '14, who received the Catharinite Award at her SCA graduation, is currently a resident at the University of Rochester for Internal Medicine-Pediatrics (Med-Peds) on the Medical Educator and Community Health and Advocacy Resident Education (CARE) tracks.

Joanna is an active member of the Association of Minority Residents and Fellows. She began on her path to be a doctor with the seven-year Sophie Davis Program for Biomedical Education through CUNY School of Medicine, earning both her bachelor's and medical degrees.

She was an integral part of the SCA community throughout high school as a member of many honor societies, president of Student Council. and soccer player, just to name a few.

In college, Joanna created the CUNY School of Medicine Chapter of Building the Next Generation of Academic Physicians and has served on the executive board as secretary, vice president and president. Joanna also led a college prep program through the Student National Medical Association at A. Philip Randolph High School in Harlem.

She points to SCA Principal Sr. Ann M. Welch, RSM, as particularly inspirational. "Sister Ann had a goal that every girl take at least one AP class before graduating and I, as a scholarship student, ended up taking eight...It wasn't until I met girls from {other} schools that I realized that AP courses were normally small, selecting only a handful of students who could pass... these students being predominantly White and Asian. Sister Ann did her best to ensure SCA was a college prep academy and her resolve to go against the norm for her girls was awe-inspiring and deserving of more praise than I think she gets.”

SCA travels to Spain

St. Catharine Academy students traveled to Spain during Spring Break. They visited Grenada, Madrid, Ronda, Seville and more as they explored the food, culture, museums and sights.

"Traveling with our students is always a privilege," says Kerry Schmid, theology and English teacher and campus ministry and athletics director. "It is truly a learning experience for all of us. It is enlightening to see students make connections when we see things that we learned about in class. This year, students in Theology learned about the Semana Santa celebrations during holy week. When they saw the processions live, they were thankful that they had learned about it in the classroom and mentioned how special it was to see it in person."

Spanish teacher Patricia Linardi de Monte adds, "Traveling helps students see similarities and make connections with those who wear different clothes, speak different languages, or have different beliefs. It's so important for children to be exposed to different cultures because it makes them more open-minded."

View more photos.

SCA celebrates its artists

Students in the AP 2D Art and Design Portfolio class had their first art display in the Grand Foyer at St. Catharine's. These portfolios will be used as part of their AP testing. Last year, St. Catharine's had a 100% passing rate of 3 or more on the AP Art and Design 2D exam and placed students with scholarships in prestigious college programs. View Savannah's and Natalie's portfolios here.

Anh H. '23 headed to

Barnard College/Columbia University

Anh H. ‘23 will be attending Barnard College/Columbia University this fall. She says, “[The college acceptance] feels surreal! As a first generation immigrant from a low income household I never thought I would be able to attend a school with such a vast amount of support and opportunities.”

Anh plans to be on a pre-med track. An essential worker during COVID-19, she worked as a pharmacy technician in Hell's Kitchen. While there she helped organize patients for testing and vaccines, worked on the large amounts of paperwork needed and served as a translator for Vietnamese patients. 

At SCA, Anh, who is a member of many clubs, currently serves as president of the Women’s Empowerment Initiative, which she has worked with since freshman year. She also brought back the Debate Club this year and serves as president of the Animal Welfare Club.

Anh reflects on her time at SCA, saying her greatest influence was AP Language teacher Mrs. Antico. “I knew I was going to ask her for a letter of recommendation since I had her for English Honors in freshman year. I have never met such a teacher that was able to expand my understanding and ideologies both in and outside of the classroom. She also runs the Women’s Empowerment Initiative so I was able to connect with her in multiple environments.”

Farida A. '23 commits to the seven-year Sophie Davis CUNY School

of Medicine Program

Farida A. ‘23 has committed to the seven-year Sophie Davis CUNY School of Medicine Program at The City College of New York. This selective and prestigious program only accepts about 90-100 students.

“I interned at Bronx Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation in Morris Park,” Farida explains. “I had planned to become a doctor in the near future, so with this acceptance, I can become a doctor in seven years, which is impressive!"

At SCA, Farida has been involved in many clubs, including the Student Council as co-development coordinator, the Photography Club as president, and the Women's Empowerment Initiative and A World of Difference.

She credits her teachers at SCA as being a big influence on her journey. “They always encouraged me and supported me to chase my dreams, and I did just that. I worked so hard to be where I am today, and I only plan on becoming even more successful and making myself and my parents proud!”

Hannah Y.-T. '23 named News12 Scholar Athlete of the Week

Hannah Y.-T. '23 named News12 Scholar Athlete of the Week. She has played both volleyball and basketball during her years at St. Catharine's . Watch the video here.

Summer: HAP Program

Multi-class Reunion 2023