June 3rd, 2007: Graduation Awards
Mother Mary Lange Award (highest GPA):  Chanaye Jackson

President's Award (second highest GPA):  Morgan Russell

Principal's Award (third highest GPA): Deonte Tuggle
The Sonia Huguley Huddleston Memorial Award (school spirit): Chantell Chaney
The Ginger Goodridge Award (overcoming personal obstacles): Chanaye Jackson

Chanaye Jackson is the first SFA graduate to earn
both the Mother Lange Award and the Ginger Goodridge Award.

Awards from past years

April 24th, 2007
Family thanks mother by naming SFA scholarship in her honor

Rose W. Washington was thanked by her family with a SFA scholarshiop named in her honor.  Rose spent her professional life advocating for children and held executive posts in the New York area until her recent retirement.  Members of the Washington family intend to make an annual donation to SFA in Rose's honor.

Photo:  Alexis, Patsy, Andrea, Rose, and Werhner Washington.

What Works:
Academy makes impossible probable for teens
Leonard Pitts Jr., a syndicated columnist for the Miami Herald, won the Pulitzer Prize for commentary in 2004. In March 2007 Mr. Pitts visited SFA and wrote the above article as part of
his "What Works" series.

March 3rd, 2007
Panther Baseball Team Visits Military Veterans

St. Frances Academy was featured on the NBC Today Show on Christmas morning.

video:  An American Story: A Rabbi in a Catholic School

Jewish Times: "Black Catholics Revel in Judaism"

Baltimore Sun: "Catholic school's Jewish life"

October 16, 2006

Top food drive homeroom honored by Harbor Bank

Mrs. Wynoka Jones' homeroom of all girls was rewarded for bringing in 277 items during the annual Bea Gaddy Food Drive held last week.

A continental breakfast for the winning homeroom was supplied by Harbor Bank.  Thanks to Ms. Chantay Hunter, the Harbor Bank Belair Road Branch manager, joined the winners for breakfast.

October 13, 2006

SFA Sukkah of Peace

Rabbi Gila Ruskin's Junior religion class celebrated the Jewish festival of Sukkot by constructing a sukkah.  A sukkah is a harvest hut decorated with symbols of the autumn, with a roof made of branches. Each student wrote a prayer for peace which was posted in the sukkah.  Rabbi Ruskin extended an invitation to students and faculty to visit and meditate.

Read more about Rabbi Ruskin
and SFA Jewish Studies

October 4, 2006

Katrina victim offers gift of thanks to St. Frances Academy

In New Orleans, Noel Russell supported his family by doing what be loved -- creating ink sketches and playing the French horn.  In August of 2005, Hurricane Katrina devastated Noel's community in the Lower 9th Ward of his city.  Following two days in putrid surroundings, Noel, his wife, and teenage daughter risked their lives by venturing out of their home and through the polluted flood waters in search of sanitary conditions.  Several hours later they found shelter at a small airport, but they lost everything -- their house, two cars, their clothes, and Noel's dentures.  (He can't play the French horn without his dentures.)  Over 13 months later, FEMA reimbursed his family $2,500 and has declined authorization for Noel to receive dental work.

Despite his hardship, Mr. Russell is thankful to the many people who generously supported his family during this most difficult transition.  He is especially thankful to St. Frances Academy for accepting his daughter as a student and waiving tuition expenses.  (SFA applied to receive a 2005-06 tuition grant from the federal government, but that has also been slow coming.)   

On October 4th, Noel Russell presented an ink sketch of SFA founder Mother Mary Lange to SFA director of Advancement Tom Nealis (right).  A hopeful Noel shared his intentions: "Making art is what I love to do.  I just wanted to give a little love to St. Frances Academy.  Everyone here has been so generous to us."

Noel Russell's sketch of Mother Mary Lange prominently hangs in the main office of the high school.

September 12, 2006
After-school with actor Charles Dutton

Mr. Charles Dutton (center of back row) and some students and teachers from the Families on the Reading Edge after-school program hosted by St. Frances Academy. 

Roc was here for a family gathering in the mulit-purpose room after his father's funeral.  Our prayers go out to Charles Dutton and his family during this time of mourning.

September 11, 2006
Reggie Jackson visits SFA

Wynoka Jones, SFA Spanish teacher, poses with Reggie Jackson in the hallway of St. Frances Academy.  Mr. Jackson is a member of Baseball's Hall of Fame and an an entrepreneur. 

Reggie toured the high school and met several SFA students, teachers, and staff -- including president Sr. John Francis Schilling, OSP and principal Sr. Marcia Hall, OSP. 

Reggie Jackson (563) is one of only 20 major league baseball players to hit more than 500 homeruns in his career.  He was a leading contributor to five World Series championship teams. In 27 World Series games, he amassed 10 homeruns, including five during the 1977 Series (with 4 in 4 consecutive at bats, the last three on first pitches), 24 RBI, and a .357 batting average -- earning him the nickname "Mr. October."