Second Annual Art Show at TMLA

Along with superior course offerings in the academic disciplines, TMLA is home to an incomparable high school course of study in Art, which includes the Art Major Program. Present Art students displayed their artwork in the First Annual TMLA Art Show on May 11. Alumnae Art majors returned to view and judge the artwork in several different categories. Click here for more photos.

TMLA students have book reading at B & N

TMLA's Creative Writing class, taught by Mr. Thomas Cordero, recently had a reading at the Barnes & Noble located on Union Turnpike and Utopia Parkway.  The girls read excerpts from the short stories they had created in the course.  The readings ran for three daysand included more than 20 girls. The turnout was excellent, as were the stories. Congratulations to these very talented young women authors.

TMLA appears in Italian Press

In March TMLA played host to visiting students from Italy with whom they had been skyping via computer throughout the year.  The event was featured in the American press (see below) and has now been carried by the Italian press. Click here for the Italian version.

Genesians Present...The Sound of Music

TMLA's Theatre Troupe Genesians, presented The Sound of Music on April 20th and 21st. The classic stage musical was directed at TMLA by Ms. Maryellen Pierce, with Mrs. Bandana and Mr. Brennan. Click here for photos.

Softball Season Underway

The 2012 softball season is well underway. Here are some shots from a recent game at our home field at Alley Pond Park.

Easter Blessings 2012

A happy and blessed Easter to all in our TMLA community. Earth’s saddest day and gladdest day were just three days apart. (Photo is of the main foyer at TMLA)

Principal's Brunch 2012

Every marking period, Sister Kathleen McKinney, Principal of TMLA, hosts a brunch for the highest achieving students that marking period. S. Kathleen, along with Assistant Principals, S. Filippa and Mrs. Cordes, welcome the students and congratulate them on their achievement on making the Principal's List and Honor Roll. For Principal’s List students must attain a G.P.A. of 3.9 or over [and no grade less than 90] on trimester exams. For First Honors students must attain a G.P.A. of 3.5 [and no grade less than 85] on trimester exams.For Second Honors students must attain a G.P.A. of 3.2 [and no grade less than 80] on their trimester exams. Click on the link here or above.

Spirit Night 2012

One of TMLA's oldest traditions is Spirit Night. Dating back to 1940 when it was known as Sports Night, TMLA's four class years engage in fun and friendly theme-based competitions. The overall theme this year was Hollywood Movie Studios. The classes created original dances, skits, cheers, songs and comedy. TMLA faculty also took part.

Links below:

Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4 Part 5

Part 6 Part 7 Part 8 Part 9

Ring Day for Class of 2013

TMLA's Class of 2013 received their class rings on March 30th during a day filled with celebration. The day began with a Mass for the Class of 2013. Parents, friends and family were invited to the Mass. Orchestra members provided the music, class members offered the readings and gifts, Fr Chris blessed the rings and Sister Linda Pero, Class Dean, offered a reflection on the day. Each junior homeroom made their own "dream catcher" which were then hung together over the stage. Junior lunch featured lots of picture taking and congratulations. As always, the senior class supplied trays of cookies for the Juniors to enjoy. The rings were formally received at a moving ceremony after school. Click here for photos.

TMLA Peacemaker Awards

Every year at the Feast Day Mass for the Solemnity of St. Joseph on March 19th, we announce the annual TMLA Peacemaker Award. This highly prestigious award is in recognition of those students and faculty who have best represented the CSJ philosophy and mission of love, unity and reconciliation among the TMLA community during the year. One student from each class year is chosen for this award by her peers, along with a faculty member. At left are this year's Student Peacemakers with Faculty Peacemaker, Mrs. Allie Guttierrez

St. Joseph's Day at TMLA

March 19th is the Feast of St. Joseph, Husband of the Blessed Mother and the earthly father of Jesus. He is also the patron of our Sisters of St. Joseph who sponsor The Mary Louis Academy and five other CSJ high schools. Each year we celebrate our feast day with a Mass in celebration of St. Joseph. It is at this Mass that the sisters renew their vows and the lay faculty and students restate their commitment to the CSJ mission of love, unity and reconciliation.

Click here or above for photos.

Senior Waffle Day

The Class of 2012 has started a new senior tradition - Senior Waffle Day. The entire class came together in the cafeteria to make delicious Belgian waffles. The event congratulated the seniors on the fact that 100% of TMLA Senior Class has been accepted into college/university. TMLA has had a 100% college acceptance rate for more than six decades. While the seniors enjoyed their waffles, the long-awaited senior shirts were distributed. Seniors will wear the shirts on Fridays until the end of school. Click here for photos.

TMLA Hellenic Society

TMLA's Hellenic Society proudly marched in the 2012 Greek Independence Day Parade down 5th Avenue in Manhattan. The society also held several Greek-themed events at TMLA including prayers in Greek, and a Greek foods sale in the cafeteria. So many family members, parents, siblings and friends came to cheer on the group and some also joined in the march. Thank you to Dr. Kambouris and her husband for all their work with the Hellenic Society. Click here for photos.

Family Communion Breakfast

TMLA held a Communion Breakfast on March 11 for TMLA family and friends. This event was in response to direct requests from TMLA families for such an event. Reverend Chris Cleary CP officiated at the Mass at which TMLA students served as lectors, musicians, leaders of song and alcolytes. The Mass was followed by a wonderful brunch in the cafeteria. More than 120 people attended. We look forward to this now annual event for years to come. Photos are at link above or click here.

Senior Lawn

One of TMLA's oldest traditions is that of the Senior Lawn. During good weather seniors are permitted to enjoy the beauty of the campus outdoors. At times classes also meet outdoors. This tradition dates back to the earliest days of the school. Vie a panorama of the Senior Lawn here.

Play ball!

The Mary Louis Academy Softball team has been warming up in preparation for the news season. Check out the roster and schedule for 2012 here.

TMLA welcomes Italian Exchange Students

Young men are not frequently seen during the school day at The Mary Louis Academy in Jamaica Estates, but they were this past March 8 when they were among a group of 15 students from Italy spending the day at the all-girls school.

TMLA's Italian teacher Mr. Nicholas Maurantonio has had his classes Skyping regulalry with the students at their high school located in Ragussa, Italy. The school in Italy is Il Istituto di Istruzione Secundaria Superior G. Curcio in

Ispica Ragussa Italy. It is a co-ed school. A total of 15 students visited TMLA, 3 girls and 2 boys. They are studying English at the school the way our girls are learning Italian. Their teacher in Italy, Ms. Maria Pucciachool.

Skype is a way of communicating anywhere in the world via computer. Users can speak with, listen to, and see the people with whom they are talking wherever they are located. TMLA students have been using the technology via the SMARTBoard and ipads. The students in Italy, is the aunt of one of our students at TMLA, Kara Puccia. That is how Mr. Maurantonio connected with the school have been doing the same. The group from Italy came to the United States for a school trip and both schools recognized the opportunity they had to meet face to face. The students, their teachers and principal spent the day at TMLA experiencing an American school firsthand from homeroom to cafeteria lunches to dismissal. The teachers and principal from the school in Italy presented S. Kathleen and the students with gifts.. TMLA presented its guests with TMLA clothing and other souvenirs.

JV Basketball Champs

The Mary Louis Academy Junior Varsity Basketball team defeated Moore Catholic to win the NYC Catholic Championship Title 2012.

Reconciliation Day 2012

The TMLA community was able to partake of the Sacrament of Reconciliation during our annual Reconciliation Day. More than twenty priests were invited by the students from their parishes. After an opening prayer the preists were available for all. Click here for photos.

TMLA students take part in 30 Hour Famine

The community of The Mary Louis Academy (TMLA), Jamaica Estates, has stayed true to its Catholic identity by learning to empathize with those who are undergoing hardships.

The school’s Pax Christi group participated in the 30 Hour Famine sponsored by World Vision, a leading Christian ministry serving nearly 100 million people in need. Students became one with hungry children worldwide as they fasted for 30 hours. (Photo: Sister Kathleen McKinney C.S.J., principal, and Kathryn Bruen, moderator of Pax Christi, pose with TMLA students who participated in the 30 Hour Famine program.)

Students were encouraged to fast for the entire 30 hours. However, any part of a fast was recognized, such as skipping a meal and putting the money toward helping the hungry. Participants could also take part in a techno-fast, by refraining from the use of technology.

TMLA students designed and painted their own 30 Hour Famine T-shirts for the event. Throughout the fast, they collected nearly $1,000 for the World Vision cause.

This was a continuation of the school’s longstanding tradition of raising money through sponsorships.

Another way in which TMLA continues its Christian calling of love is by encouraging students to be part of one of its nine service homerooms, each of which is dedicated to a social justice theme. The themes include: women, health, environment, poverty, and peace. All the service homerooms approach their theme through education, advocacy, prayer and service.

Under the direction of the program co-ordinator, Ally Gutierrez, and homeroom moderators, students plan and carry out varied types of events and service projects designed to increase the community’s knowledge of their assigned issues and bring about positive change. While they share similar mandates, each homeroom has its own structures and strategies.

Among the service projects the homerooms take part in is serving food at the soup kitchen located at the First Presbyterian Church of Jamaica, every Wednesday.

Students also partook in a Veterans Day collection of comfort kits, which the school then distributed to the Veterans Affairs hospital in St. Albans.

In order to learn about the struggles of homelessness, students slept outside on the pavement with newspapers and cardboard for protection, through an initiative of Covenant House.

At Christmastime the homerooms sponsored Merry Mailboxes. They collected letters and cards for residents of nursing homes, children’s hospital and the Veterans Affairs hospital.

In February, the students collected jeans for homeless teens.

Now the TMLA community is preparing for the second annual Delete Day, when students take charge of cyberbullying, and the student-run health fair.