UA Volleyball Wins Division 3 South Sectional Championship
3 UA Volleyball Players Named All-State
(Grace Handy, Kelsi Clement & Caitlin Burchill)
Boston Globe D3 Volleyball Player of the Year
(Caitlin Burchill)

Fall Family Mass and Celebration

The Fall Family Mass and Celebration is Sunday, September 16 at 4:00 PM. There will be a Mass in the auditorium followed by a Picnic Supper. Please return your RSVP’s to the main office.

Parents’ Guild

The first 2007-2008 Parents’ Guild meeting will be held on Tuesday, September 18th at 7:00 PM in the Tea Room. All parents are invited to meet Ursuline Academy’s new president, Rosann Whiting, and the members of the Advancement team.

UA Track Makes History !!

The UA track team made history more than once this year! The following is a list of “firsts” in UA track history:

10 school records were broken this season:

                        High Jump -Alison Nadeau ‘08

                        Shot Put -Adrienne Watkins ‘08

                        100m-Michelle Carey ‘07

200m -Kim Schlesinger ‘07

                        400m-Kim Schlesinger ‘07

4x800mRelay-Kim Schlesinger ’07, Alison Nadeau ’08, Ashley Sullivan ’08, Kim Schlesinger ’07, Kara McLaughlin ‘09

4x200mRelay-Roxine Chapski ’07, Michelle Carey ’07, Kenzie Hackett ’07,
Taylor Raftery ‘08

Triple Jump Relay-Kim Lee ’08, Kristina Madden ’08, Liann Devereux ‘10

Long Jump Relay-Katie O’Malley ’07, Taylor Raftery ’08, Taylor Pierce ‘11

Shot Put Relay-Adrienne Watkins ’08, Jackie Bacon ’09, Molly O’Malley ‘09

1^st team to have over a dozen girls qualify to run at the State Meet
1^st team to finish in the top 10 at the Division IV State Meet
1^st team to score a point at the All-State Meet (4x800m relay team)
1^st team to send girls to the New England Championship Meet (4x800m relay team)

Congratulations to the Division IV State Champion 4x800m relay team: Kim Schlesinger, Alison Nadeau, Ashley Sullivan and Kara McLaughlin, for their remarkable season! After finishing 1^st at the Division IV Meet, the girls qualified to run at the New England Championship Meet. The girls ran against the best athletes in New England and finished 10^th out of 33 teams. Way to go girls!!!

Congratulations to the entire team for a great season! With over 100 girls on the team, the year ahead looks just as promising! Keep on running girls!

Congratulations to the 4 x 800 Meter Relay Team !!

The Ursuline 4x800 meter relay team finished 1st in the Division IV Championship at Weston High School.
K. Schlesinger '07, Alison Nadeau '08, Ashley Sullivan '08 and Kara McLaughlin '09 will compete against the best in the State on June 2nd in Holyoke. Best of luck girls!

UA Track Finishes 2nd in Catholic Conference League

UA Track Wins First Invitational

UA track team won their first Invitational in team history. The team scored 75 points to finish first (over 17 teams) at the "Last Qualifiying Meet" held Sat. May 19 at NDA-Hingham. Second was Martha's Vineyard with 66 points and third was NDA-Hingham with 65.5 points.

Jacqueline Reilly Featured in the Country Gazette

Jacqueline Reilly '09 from Norfolk is featured on the cover of the April 27, 2007 issue of the Country Gazette. The article talks about Jacqueline teaching sewing lessons to raise money for Juvenile Diabetes. Click here for a link to the article: www.thecountrygazette.com

Ursuline Speech Team Continues to Show Competitive Edge

Congratulations to senior Elizabeth Cirillo, Team Captain of the Speech Team for her first place finish in Prose Reading at the Mardi Gras Speech Tournament. The Mardi Gras, held at Shrewsbury High School on March 3, is one of the largest speech tournaments of the year. Sophomores Molly Herzog, who placed Fourth in Prose Reading, and Maddie Heanue, who placed Fifth in Declamation, also did a fantastic job.

One of Ursuline’s greatest strengths is its Speech Team, which has had another outstanding year with members frequently placing in the top ten in their categories. There have been many other highlights from previous meets during the year. Based on the strong performance of all Ursuline Speech team members who performed, Ursuline took Third Place in the Small School Sweepstakes. Newcomer Lucia Ledone, a sophomore, took Seventh Place in Prose Reading in her first-ever tournament and was named as Top Novice in Prose in a later tournament.

During the first weekend of March, Elizabeth Cirillo, Molly Herzog, and Laura Hartigan ’09, competed at the National Forensic League District Qualifier at Milton Academy with Elizabeth reaching the finals. Six students have also won bids to perform at the upcoming Massachusetts Forensic League State Championship in April. Elizabeth Cirillo has earned a bid to the State Championship in Prose Reading in every meet in which she’s competed. Teammates Molly Herzog, Lucia Ledone, Maddie Heanue, Catherine Levin ’10, and Isobel Boles ’11 have also won bids to perform at the State Championship. We wish them the best of luck!

The Speech Team will send three students to the
National Forensic League District Qualifier

The Speech Team will send three students to The National Forensic League District Qualifier on March 9 - 10 at Milton Academy. Elizabeth Cirillo, Laura Hartigan, and Molly Herzog will be competing for a chance to go to the National Competition this summer. Congratulations to our students on making it into this round and good luck this weekend!

Shannon Kelleher to receive
Boston Bruins Ice Hockey Sportsmanship Award

"Shannon Kelleher has been selected by the Catholic Conference to receive the 2007 Boston Bruins Ice Hockey Sportsmanship Award. This award is given annually by the Bostob Bruins and the Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association (MIAA) to one individual from every league in the state who best exemplifies what fair play and sportsmanship in high school ice hockey is all about.
The presentation of this prestigious award will take place at the TD BankNorth Garden on Thursday, March 8th during the second intermission of the Boston Bruins game against the Minnesota Wild. Shannon values and commitment to fair play provide an exemplary model for others to follow and the MIAA and Boston Bruins are pround to honor her."
(Extracted from MIAA letter to Ursuline Academy and Miss. Shannon Kelleher)

Four Ursuline Hockey Players Named
Catholic Conference All-Stars

Four Ursuline ice hockey players were named to the Catholic Conference 2006-07 Ice Hockey All-Star Team. The players are:

Shannon Kelleher - Junior - Forward
Katie Leney - Junior - Defense
Christine Mazza - Junior - Goalie
Nora Kate O'Brien - Freshman - Defense

Shannon Kelleher also received the League Sportsmanship Award.

Aiming high, and reaching it
Molly Griffiths, a senior at Ursuline, finds a way to motivate her teammates

By Monique Walker, Boston Globe Staff | January 14, 2007

DEDHAM -- Molly Griffiths needed the advice of an old friend. The Ursuline Academy girls' basketball team was off to a slow start and Griffiths wanted some ideas for getting it back on a winning track. So she called Meghan Lawrie , a former teammate.

Lawrie had been a senior captain during Griffith's sophomore year, when their team won its first state title. She had been a leader for the younger players that year. Griffiths wanted to find out how she could provide the same leadership now that she was one of the seniors.

Lawrie, now a Dartmouth College sophomore, encouraged Griffiths to promote team bonding and "establish herself as a leader."

She recalls telling Griffiths to "tell them not to take things personally on the court," Lawrie said. " When you're yelling it doesn't mean you're yelling at the person, it's just that you're into the game and want to motivate the team."

Griffiths took Lawrie's advice and reached out to the seven players who had never played varsity basketball. The team held more team dinners. On game days, the team listens to rap and hip-hop music to get pumped up.

"They are small things, but they really help you to care and trust" your teammates, said Katie O'Malley, who, with Susan Bourque, are the other seniors on the team.

Alison Nadeau , a junior, said she could quickly see a difference and understood the goals of the seniors. "If you're not close off the court, you can't play as a team," she said.

Helping younger players feel comfortable with more experienced players is still a work in progress, Griffiths said.

"We want to break some of them out of their shells and we're still cracking some of them," she said.

Coach John DePasquale said the seniors have the right approach in leading their teammates. "This group works well together and it is all because of the leadership," DePasquale said.

Players such as Griffiths show their leadership, the coach said, by working through drills with enthusiasm, or by being responsive to coaches.

Griffiths is an established player who also has significant AAU experience. She has verbally committed to play at Assumption College in Worcester next season.

She reached 1,000 career points as a junior and leads the school with 1,211 points. She is second in total rebounds with 661 and third in steals with 215 and assists with 141. She is averaging 22.7 points and 16 rebounds a game.

"Molly is the most versatile player I've ever coached," DePasquale said. "She can play any of the five positions at a high level."

Griffiths and her teammates are doing what they can to make themselves stronger. O'Malley took a year off last season and returned this year at point guard. O'Malley considered herself more of a defensive specialist but accepted the challenge of setting up plays.

"Katie is modeling the concept of willing herself to be what we need," DePasquale said, "and she is doing a really good job with that."

Members of Track Team Qualify for State Meet

Congratulations to track team members who have qualified for the Division IV State Track Meet on February 18, 2007. Taylor Raftery and Victoria Sullivan qualified for the 300m, and Ashley Sullivan qualified for the 600m race. Also qualifying were the 4x200 team and the 4x400 team.

Katie Leney ’08 Steps Out of the Comfort Zone
National Youth Leadership Forum Challenges Leadership Skills

During the first week of October, Katie Leney ’08 attended the National Youth Leadership Forum on Defense, Intelligence and Diplomacy (NYLF-DID) in Washington, D.C. “There are not many words I can use to describe this experience as few do this program justice. The first thing I noticed in my National Security Action Meetings, which were briefing meetings on a variety of subjects, is the one thing that will always stay with me. There was a sign with a line running through the words ‘comfort zone.’ As much as this place was not within my realm of comfort, there is something to be said for good teachers and good speakers, as well as the art of persuasion. Not only was I personally able to speak to the man who is credited with drafting the current Iraqi Constitution, I was able to speak to him about anything I wished. NYLF-DID encouraged asking the tough questions as well as self-expression, as I signed into my briefing and tour of the CIA with a pink marker.

Katie says she never knew the true meaning of “organized chaos” until the simulation exercise that the students prepared for all week. Those few hours changed her views about her future, the American President, and government. She walked away with a new respect for the federal government and a realization of “how hard a situation is to correct and the amount of work and thought that goes into each decision.” Quoting Albert Einstein, she said, ‘All real learning is experimental, the rest is just information.’

Katie never considered the government sector as a career choice, but left the program with an “expanded view of the world and an understanding of what I can accomplish in my future” and a passion and desire to learn more. Katie plans to attend the National Youth Leadership Forum on Defense, Intelligence and Diplomacy in Washington, D.C. again during February vacation with Meredith Dewey ’08 and Sara MacKenzie ’08 and will also be attending the Global Youth Leadership Council, a sister organization of the above, in Budapest, Prague, and Vienna in July.

Rockin’ the “Pink House” in Washington, D.C.!
Putting Theory into Action - Catherine Howard ’08

This past October, I was granted the opportunity to attend the National Youth Leadership Forum on Defense, Intelligence, and Diplomacy. Upon flying to Washington, D.C., I experienced engaging activities in the fields of national security and foreign affairs. After hearing prominent diplomatic and military leaders speak, and attending informative seminars on diplomacy and intelligence in our world today, I gained insight into the abundance of careers offered within our government. My visit to the Pentagon offered new prospective on the aspects involved in the defense of our nation. Especially touching was the beautiful memorial located in the reconstructed hallway of the Pentagon that was destroyed in the terrorist attacks of 9/11/01.

Over the course of the Forum, I was able to take part in an intense and extremely realistic simulation of the U.S. policy formation process. I had the great honor of being elected President of the United States in the Eisenhower National Security Action group. This group acted as a mock U.S. government in the simulation, which we had been preparing for all week, regarding issues in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Being the only female President elected in this session, I appropriately renamed our meeting room the “Pink House”. I was proud to lead my group members, each with an important governmental role (Secretary of State, Defense, etc.) to a peaceful and diplomatic resolution to the conflicts that had arisen in Central Africa.

I was truly awed by visits to Capitol Hill, Smithsonian Museums, as well as the poignant memorials and beautiful monuments in the area. I made amazing friends, as well as beneficial contacts, from all over the U.S., and learned so much about the workings of our government and the importance of diplomacy in our world. The National Youth Leadership Forum gave me the confidence and skills needed to pursue a career in defense, intelligence, and diplomacy, while granting me the knowledge to be a more active citizen of the United States and the world.

Ringing the Bell and Walking for Change
Elizabeth Gavin '10 Supports the Salvation Army & Jimmy Fund

Last year, after reading in her local paper that volunteers were needed to ring the bell outside the town market for the Salvation Army’s Kettle Campaign, Elizabeth Gavin joined up and volunteered for an hour a day about 4 times a week. This year, Elizabeth volunteered again, and stood in front of Roche Brothers in West Roxbury to ring the bell every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday from 3 to 4 p.m. and on Saturdays from 10 a.m. to noon. Elizabeth’s mother, Jane Gavin, said, “After every shift Elizabeth always remarks how kind people are and how they always have something nice to say to her. In short, she loves this opportunity to help.”

Elizabeth also continues to fundraise for the Jimmy Fund. For the second year in a row, she and her dad walked the Boston Marathon Jimmy Fund Walk this past September. Elizabeth was motivated to do this after one of her grandfathers passed away from the disease. Ironically, her other grandfather was recently diagnosed and is battling the same illness. Posters with large pictures of the disease's young victims are displayed along the route, and many people stop and pat the posters for inspiration as they walk. Elizabeth finds this quite touching, but is able to see beyond the sadness and realizes that this kind of effort is necessary to try to raise the money for research to eradicate this disease. Despite having severe shin splints, Elizabeth insisted upon doing, and completed, the walk. She was also recently welcomed into The Pacesetters Club, a club that recognizes people who raise $1,000.00 or more each year!

Drama Club to Perform "A Midsummer Night's Dream"

The Ursuline Academy Drama Club is proud to announce the performance of Shakespeare's "A Midsummer Night's Dream". This is a performance you won't want to miss and will be presented on two nights only: December 15th and 16th at 7:00 pm.

Ursuline Celebrates 60th Anniversary

On Saturday, September 23, 2006, Ursuline celebrated the 60th anniversary of the opening day of Ursuline in Boston on September 23, 1946. Boston alumnae were invited to a celebration in their honor which began with time in the Convent to share memories with one another over coffee, punch, and light fare. Ursuline's guests then walked down to the Tea Room for a luncheon and to share more stories with each other and with parent, alumnae, and student hosts. The day ended with Mass in the Convent Chapel. The event was the result of the efforts of Sr. Martha Gleason '54 O.S.U., parents, alumnae, and student volunteers; and the Advancement and School staff. Thank you to all of our Boston alumnae who could join us for a delightful day.

Carolyn Glandorf is Rowing in the "Bear Boat"

Carolyn Glandorf is rowing in the Girls Single at the Northeast Interscholastic Rowing Association’s (NEIRA) meet on May 26^th. Carolyn will be racing under Ursuline Academy in what one teacher has affectionately dubbed, “the bear boat.” We wish Carolyn the best of luck in her race!

The Fairy Godmother Project to be Featured
on the Hallmark Channel

Meghan Bacic ’06 and her work with The Fairy Godmother Project will be featured on the Hallmark Channel on June 2^nd. The piece will be aired sometime between 7:00 and 8:00 am. The project provided prom dresses and more to girls who might not otherwise have been able to afford the costs and attend their proms. Meghan introduced the project to Ursuline and it was run here through the S.O.S. club.

National Latin Exam Award Winners

Congratulations to the following students for their achievement in the National Latin Exam taken on March 16th. The medal and certificate award winners were announced April 24th.

Recipients of the Gold Medal, Summa Cum Laude are juniors Kimberly Schlesinger and Rebecca Aha and sophomores Janine Hanrahan, Christine Warner, and Charlotte Harrison. Silver Medal recipients, Maxima Cum Laude are senior Ahalya Kodali, juniors Amanda Rinaldi and Ryan Prendergast, and sophomore Olivia Richards. Certificate winners, Magna Cum Laude, are senior Bridget Whalen, sophomores Maryclare Griffin and Christina Burke, and freshman Danielle Razzano. Sophomores Julia Slade and Caitlin O'Sullivan were awarded Certificates for their Cum Laude ranking.

National Honor Society Inductees

Thirty-four girls were inducted into The National Honor Society on April 26, 2006. The inductees included senior Meghan Bacic and juniors Nadia Bourji, Elizabeth Cirillo, Katherine Crane, Joan Fisher, Clare Garvey and Megan McCarthy. The twenty-seven sophomores inducted were: Carolyn Arnish, Amy Ashur, Amanda Bent, Jillian Boudreau, Caitlin Burchill, Christina Burke, Lindsay Connors, Caroline Crawford, Meredith Dewey, Shannon Festin, Michelle Foley, Maryclare Griffin, Janine Hanrahan, Charlotte Harrison, Catherine Howard, Larissa Jay, Sheila Keefe, Shannon Kelleher, Sinead Kemmy, Kerry Meyer, Erin O’Malley, Allison Pickens, Alexandra Powell, Olivia Richards, Julia Slade, Michelle Sullivan and Christine Warner. Congratulations to the new inductees.

The National Honor Society Members are inducted based on their excellence in Scholarship, Leadership, Service, and Character. As part of their membership, they will continue to display these qualities and complete service hours within the community and other areas of interest. Past members have donated their time at nursing homes, soup kitchens, the Walk for Hunger, and numerous other local organizations. Current members will also have opportunities to contribute within the school by running a bake sale, volunteering afternoons at the After School Tutoring Room, and participating in school events such as the Open House and Parent-Teacher Conferences. In all of these activities, they continue to uphold the values of the National Honor Society.

Cocktails in the Tea Room

"Cocktails in the Tea Room", a cocktail party for current UA parents and staff held on April 8th from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m., was a great success. The sweet sounds of jazz and classic songs, provided by a five-piece band, enticed guests into the Tea Room. Wine and beer were available, and trays of hors d'oeuvres were passed by servers. The party was a great way to reconnect with friends and to make new acquaintances, and the night was so much fun that many stayed well after eight. CLICK HERE for photo gallery of this event.

Another "First" for Speech Team

Liz Cirillo is the 2006 State Champion in Prose Reading, having come in first in that category at the Massachusetts Forensic League State Championship on Saturday, April 8 at Westford Academy.

Speaking Up!
Another stellar season for Ursuline's Speech Team

After last year’s achievement of sending Speech Team member Julie Griffin-Carty ’05 to the Nationals in Philadelphia, the Speech Team has pulled off another stellar season. Julie might have been the first Ursuline student to reach the Nationals, but she won't be the last! Ursuline continues to field a strong team with a lot of depth and determination. CLICK HERE for complete article.

French Club Dinner

Members of the French Club, along with several Ursuline teachers and mothers, made their annual outing to sample French cuisine on March 28. For the third year in a row, the dinner was held at Coriander Bistro in Sharon. CLICK HERE for complete article & photos.

9th Annual Women in Leadership Symposium

On Friday, March 24 the 9th Annual Women in Leadership Symposium was held in the auditorium of Ursuline Academy. Alumnae from a wide variety of professions returned to speak about their work and life experiences with the junior and senior classes. CLICK HERE for complete article & photos.

Photo left to right: Mario Daniel Gonzalez, Patricia Gonzalez,
Jazmin Gonzalez-Rivero, and Ursuline Academy Principal
Sr. Mercedes Videira, osu
(CLICK HERE for enlarged photo)

Athletic Director of the Year

DEDHAM, MA – Mrs. Patricia Gonzalez, Athletic Director for Ursuline Academy and a Winchester resident, was awarded Athletic Director of the Year for District H on March 23, 2006. The award was presented to her by the Massachusetts Secondary School Athletic Directors Association (MSSADA) at their yearly conference. The MSSADA is a state professional organization for high school and middle school athletic directors. Mrs. Gonzalez was recognized for her work on behalf of Ursuline’s athletic program and on behalf of Massachusetts school sports programs.

2006 Needham Speech and Debate Parent Award

Dedham, MA - Ursuline Academy mothers Gail Cirillo of West Roxbury and Sheryll Strohl-Hammett of Roslindale were named as winners of the 2006 Needham Speech and Debate Parent Award at the Needham Speech and Debate Tournament on March 25, 2006. The event was held at the Needham High School, which hosted thirty-seven schools from throughout Massachusetts and New Hampshire. The parent award is given annually to the parent of a Speech and Debate student who dedicates exemplary service to the forensics arts. Ms. Cirillo, mother of junior Liz Cirillo, and Ms. Strohl-Hammett, mother of senior Alessy Hammett, have been an instrumental part of the success of Ursuline’s Speech Team and have devoted countless hours to the furthering of forensic arts in Massachusetts.

Fairy Godmother Project of Massachusetts

Meghan Bacic '06 and her mother, Mary Jo, led a local drive for the Fairy Godmother Project of Massachusetts. The project, which provided prom dresses and more to girls who might not otherwise be able to afford the costs, was introduced to Ursuline by Meghan and was run at UA through the S.O.S. club. Girls were outfitted for their proms at a "Boutique" on March 24. The Bacics and Kathleen Manty '06 also participated in a Prom Fashion Show at Gillette Stadium, manning a booth to represent the Fairy Godmother Project. The Fairy Godmother Project will be featured on the Hallmark Channel in the near future, so stay tuned for more information! To learn more about the project, go to:

DailyNewsTranscript.com - News & Opinion: Material magic: Ursuline senior and her mom make prom wishes for poor gi

Bears take down Rebs
Monday, February 6, 2006

After winning the opening game of the year the Ursuline Academy hockey team had gone winless in its next 10 outings, but that streak came to end Friday with a 4-1 win over Walpole in a clash of neophyte local programs.
CLICK HERE for article

Caitlin Burchill Named Boston Herald All-Scholastic
December 2005
Congratulations to Caitlin Burchill '08, who has been named as one of the Boston Herald's All-Scholastic selections from Ursuline for the Fall 2005 season in Volleyball. Last month she was also selected All State Player by the Massachusetts Girls' Volleyball Coaches Association. Caitlin was the only sophomore of thirty-five student-athletes in Divisions 1, 2 and 3 to be recognized from more than 3,000 students who participated in high school volleyball across the state. Congratulations to Caitlin for these outstanding honors, and congratulations to the Varsity Volleyball Team for their accomplishment in winning the South Sectional Championship for Division 3!

Caitlin Burchill Selected All-State
November, 2005
Caitlin Burchill has been selected as an All State Player by the Massachusetts Girls' Volleyball Coaches Association. Caitlin is the only sophomore of thirty-five student-athletes in Divisions 1, 2 and 3 to be recognized from more than 3,000 students who participated in high school volleyball across the state.

URSULINE WINS STATE TITLE !!!
DIVISION 4 BASKETBALL
URSULINE 53 - WHITTIER TECH 40

Ursuline Choral Group
The Ursuline Choral Group will sing at the Boston Catholic Television Mass on Sunday, February 13th at 7:30AM. The Mass is televised on Channel 7. Ursuline's Peer Ministers will also be in attendance.

Ursuline Receives Boston Globe Singelais Award
December 2004 - Ursuline Academy received the Boston Globe Singelais Award for excellence in sports for the all girls division. The award reflects Ursuline having the highest winning percentage in all sports (combined record was 77-36-2, winning percentage of 67.83%) for the year 2003-2004. This is the second time Ursuline Academy has won the award since 2000 and second time in 25 years. Way to go girls!!!

Ursuline Receives MIAA Team Excellence Award
Fall & Winter 2004-05
The students of Ursuline Academy's Fall and Winter High School sports teams were awarded the MIAA Team Excellence Award, Gold Level. The members of those teams were recognized for maintaining GPAs of between 3.0 and 4.0. The Board of Directors of the MIAA sponsor the Team Academic Excellence Awards to encourage and support the academic accomplishments of student-athletes.

2004 Open House
(Click Here)

Class of 2003 Yearbook Signing
(Click Here)

Class of 2005 Junior Ring Ceremony October 22, 2004
(Click Here)

Ursuline Academy Fondly Remembers Our Beloved Teacher,
Mrs. Anita Brefini
(Click Here)

Aiming high, and reaching it Molly Griffiths, a senior at Ursuline, finds a way to motivate her teammates

Aiming high, and reaching it
Molly Griffiths, a senior at Ursuline, finds a way to motivate her teammates