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.

TMLA Genesians Present...

TMLA's theatre troupe, Genesians, recently presented the classic, "Career Angel." Congratulations to the promising thespians and their director, Mrs. Bendana, and their producer, Mr. Joseph Brennan. Much thanks to the Tech Crew and their faculty moderators, Mr. and Mrs. Albanese. View photos here.

National Merit Winners at TMLA

TMLA congratulates our National Merit Commended Students, our National Achievement Scholarship Outstanding Students and our National Hispanic Recognition Program Students named for Excellence in Achievement. These students all placed among the highest scoring students on the PSAT -National Merit Qualifying Test.

TMLA takes on Italy!

The Italian Level IV class at TMLA has been speaking regularly with a class in Italy. Under the direction of TMLA Italian teacher, Mr. Nicholas Maurantonio, the class interacts live via Skype with the students in Italy. The conversations are in both English and Italian so that both classes can practice their skills. The Italian students will be visiting TMLA in March when they tour New York City.

TMLA Students Publish Artwork

It is well known that TMLA Art students create beautiful work throughout the year in their classes. Recently 12 TMLA AP Art students were selected to illustrate a Christmas book written by a TMLA faculty member. Read the NY Daily News article here. All proceeds from the book go to TMLA. Call TMLA and offer any donation to the school and we will send the book to you or you may come by and pick it up...but call first to make sure we still have copies available. Call the TMLA Office of Advancement at 718-297-2120 ext 252 or e-mail rpiro@tmla.org. You may view sample pages here.

Annual Pax Christi Food Drive

This year's Thanksgiving Food Drive saw a huge effort on the part of the TMLA community to reach out to others. After a week of collecting food and paper products from the homerooms, cartons and cartons of donated items were put into two vans and brought to the St, Benedict the Moor Faith Mission in South Jamaica for distribution to those in need. (Please note that this organization is independent of the parish church of the same name in this area.) Thank you to all who helped out.

TMLA Ladies Sparkle at Holy Cross Fashion Show

The Mary Louis Ladies once again stole the show. Ten TMLA students took part in a fashion show sponsored by and for Holy Cross High School. The girls were escorted on the runway by Holy Cross men. Check out the video here and here

TMLA Seniors Select Athletic Scholarships

It's scholarship season at TMLA and three seniors have made their choice of college choice for an athletic scholarship. (Click for video) Shannon Minihane will play softball for Mercyhurst, Reanna Mohamed will play basketball for George Mason and Erika Winkler will swim for Loyola. All three girls received several scholarship offers. Shannon was offered scholarships from Nazareth, St. Thomas Aquinas College, University of Hartford, The University of the Sciences and East Stroudsburgh State. Erika received scholarships from Providence, Fairfield and St. Michael's. Reana was offered scholarships from Bucknell, Fairleigh Dickinson and Stony Brook University. Click here to see the young ladies sign their offers with their coaches. From left to right, Shannon Minihane, Reana Mohamed and Erika Winkler. Back Softball Coach Ginny Peiser, TMLA Athletic Director Joseph Lewinger and Swim Coach Ellen Lynch.

Health Homeroom Prayer Service

Health Homeroom Prayer Service The seniors in the Service Homeroom for Health Issues conducted a morning prayer service whose focus was Breast Cancer. Students offered prayers for those receiving treatment for the disease, their family and supporters. Students also offered thanks to God for their good health and prayed for all those who are dealing with illness. Much thanks to Sister Patricia O'Keefe and to Mrs. Gonzales for organizing this prayer service. May God keep and protect us all in good health, so we may serve God and God's people all our days. Click here for video.Health Homeroom Prayer Service

Annual Pax Christi Food Drive

The Annual Pax Christi Food Drive at TMLA is underway! Each homeroom has a collection box which is filled regularly with boxed and canned foods and paper goods. The boxes are then given to St. John's Bread Pantry for those in need.

Other photos here.

TMLA Morning Mass

Each morning Mass is offered in the TMLA chapel. Here are some scenes from a recent Mass.

TMLA & Holy Cross H.S. join efforts

TMLA and Holy Cross High School for Boys recently joined efforts in a terrific service project to salute our veterans. See the video here.

Walk-a-Thon 2011

TMLA's annual Walk-a-Thon took place on October 31, 2011. Braving the cold and the wind, students, faculty, parents, friends and supporters walked throughout Jamaica Estates. The air may have been crisp, but friendship kept us all toasty warm. See photos here.

TMLA Smile Day

TMLA took part in World Smile Day, held every year in October. Sponsored by the CSJ Leadership Club, students and faculty donned bright yellow t-shrts emblazoned with their own SMILE messages. The day is in honor of Harvey Ball, a commercial artist from Worcester, Massachusetts, who created the smiley face in 1963. That image went on to become the most recognizable symbol of good will and good cheer on the planet. Click on the photo for a larger image. Read more about the day here.

Opening of School Liturgy

The entire TMLA community came together to celebrate the Opening of School Liturgy on September 26. Reverend Chris Cleary officiated. At the conclusion of the liturgy, the 2011-2012 Student Council Officers were installed.

Official 75th Anniversary Day

On September 14, 2011, the entire present TMLA community celebrated the actual 75th Anniversary of our school with a prayer service and ribbon cutting ceremony. See the video here for full coverage.

TMLA Soccer Preview

Read the NY Post's article on TMLA Soccer

CSJ It Forward

22 students from the CSJ schools and two parishes came together at the Sisters of St. Joseph Motherhouse in Brentwood for an extra special four day program of self-examination and increased awareness of God’s world and the role they can play in that world as young CSJ women. The program is called CSJ It Forward. The video is here.

Summer Art Program

Twenty-four 7th and 8th grade girls became canvas painters for a week during TMLA's Summer Fest Art Week housed in TMLA's Art studio. Students chose their own designs, then made an initial sketch which was transferred to a canvas for final painting. TMLA has a distinctive multi national award-winning Art Major program. Pictures located here.