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Today students, faculty and staff celebrated Academy of Our Lady’s feast day and the Feast of the Annunciation with two mass ceremonies to accommodate everyone safely. Student Council treated students to a snack of their choosing at lunch in celebration. Happy Feast Day! To view photos click on the title of this post.

During the week of February 1-5, Academy of Our Lady’s chapter of the National Honor Society sponsored a school-wide food drive. Students were encouraged to donate non-perishable food items for those in need. All donations were made to St. Vincent de Paul Society in Marrero. Click on the title of this post to view photos.

Academy of Our Lady students were offered the opportunity to participate in the Knights of Columbus Catholic Citizenship Scholarship Contest. Three students were honored as winners and one student for participation by the Knights of Columbus Archbishop Blenk Council 1905 Gretna. Sophomore Jaden Armond was named the sophomore division winner, New Orleans Diocesan Winner and State First Place Winner receiving $500. Her essay will be submitted in the national competition. For more click on the title of this post.

Right to Life club members, juniors and seniors were encouraged to participate in the Pro-Life video contest sponsored by the Right to Life club. The purpose of the video contest was to bring attention to the fight for the dignity of all life from the moment of conception to natural death. Videos were required to highlight important topics including euthanasia, disability, elderly, immigration, death penalty, stem cell research and adoption. Congratulations to first place winner sophomore Rachel Toups and second place winner freshman Grace Beaman.

In celebration of St. John Bosco's feast day, each day of the week has been dedicated to an activity centered around St. John Bosco's oratory - a home that welcomes, a school that prepares for life, a parish that evangelizes and a playground where friends meet. Students share how they feel Academy of Our Lady has prepared them for life through a video created by senior Olivia Marque. Please enjoy by clicking on the title of this post! #salesianfamilyspirit

Freshman Ava Marchand and Junior Grace Marchand presented the Monument Task Committee with a $700 donation for the ongoing care of the Margaret Haughery Statue located near Coliseum Square in New Orleans. Ava and Grace raised the money themselves by simply selling lemonade. Margaret Haughery worked closely with the New Orleans Sisters of Charity and opened a number of orphanages throughout the city during the 19th century. Haughery is most historically known for her generosity for children. For more click on the title of this post.

Academy of Our Lady’s Mission Club held the annual school-wide Christmas Toy Drive benefitting families from the Algiers School District. Students, clubs and faculty members each adopted a student fulfilling their Christmas wishes. For photos click on the title of this post.

Service is one of the core values taught at Academy of Our Lady and encompassed in almost all activities. Service is such an essential value that there is a whole week dedicated to service every year. Due to COVID-19, Service Week was limited to one day held October 15. But that did not stop our student body from helping out the community and learning from others about the importance of stewardship and civil leadership. In addition to Service Day, sophomore and juniors attended a Career Day in the afternoon hearing from professionals from various industries including health care, law, education, engineering, communications and literature. Thank you to all of our speakers! To view photos and read more about the day click on the title of this post.

A total of sixteen Academy of Our Lady students form the group Sisters in Unity. The group was created to address sociological issues happening in our world today specifically the importance of racial justice and our call as Christians to be responsible citizens in society. Members of Sisters in Unity gave a presentation to the freshman, sophomore, junior and senior religion classes, during the months of August and September, to create an open dialogue amongst the students in a space where everyone could feel free to express their opinions. To read more about what our students are doing to make a difference and to view photos click on the title of this post.

Thirty-three members of the pre-freshman class attended the first installment of the pre-freshman retreat on August 26 led by the peer ministers. The class of 2025 were able to get to know each other while growing in their faith. Students participated in ice breakers, sharing activities, prayer and adoration. The second installment of the pre-freshmen retreat will be attended by the rest of the class of 2025. This is the first time a class retreat has been broken up into two parts and was done so in an effort to keep students healthy and safe. For photos click on the title of this post.

Juniors and seniors celebrated the Feast of the Assumption with Mass on campus. During the homily, Fr. Louis Molinelli blessed the senior sweaters and explained the importance of wearing the sweater as it signifies that seniors are leaders of the school which comes with great responsibility. It is a tradition at Academy of Our Lady for the senior class to wear the light blue cardigan. August 13 marked the first time the class of 2021 was able to sport their senior sweaters. To view photos click on the title of this post.

A coveted tradition at Academy of Our Lady is the annual Senior Retreat. For the class of 2020, the retreat would have been held today, April 17. We wanted to make our students feel special because they are loved and have worked so hard throughout the past five years. Faculty and staff took to the streets this week to place signs in students’ yards to honor them and show how proud we are of these girls! So today let’s celebrate the class of 2020! #SalesianFamilySpirit For photos click on the title of this post.

The True Love Waits club sponsored activities during the week of February 10, to promote healthy self-image and to promote living a pure and chaste lifestyle. The theme for the week was "You are Worth Waiting For."    Activities included an assembly, photo booth, a chalk talk (students wrote inspirational, girl-power messages around school), and the sale of themed bookmarks made by club member junior Nha Nguyen. Proceeds will be donated to Covenant House.  To view photos click on the title of this post.

Service Week is a great tradition at Academy of Our Lady. For 11 years in celebration of Catholic Schools Week and St. John Bosco, students have been serving the Greater New Orleans area during the annual Service Week. For more click on the title of this post.

Students received a special blessing of the throat on February 3 to celebrate the feast of St. Blaise. Thank you to Father Lou and Father Wilgintz for visiting campus to administer a blessing for each student and staff member. To view pictures click on the title of this post.

On Sunday, November 3, 30 of our fellow penguins attended this celebration held on behalf of the CYO/Youth & Young Adult Ministry Office and Teen C.R.O.S.S, the Archdiocesan youth council. Read more about their experience written by senior Taylor Hamback by clicking on the title of this post.

Students took a break from their studies on Thursday, October 17 to meet with their Penguin Families. Each Penguin Family is made up of multiple students from each grade level and meet twice a year to take on service orientated projects. This year’s fall projects included deployment ornaments for military families, crochet hats for patients at West Jefferson Cancer Center, thanksgiving placemats and letters for Meals on Wheels, fleece blankets for those in need, sock stuffed animals for the battered women’s shelter and animal bandannas for the local animal shelter. Click the title of this post to view photos.

Pre-freshmen attended their first Academy of Our Lady class retreat on September 20. Senior Lorynn Coulon gives us a brief insight to their experience. Click here to read Lorynn's story and to view pictures.

Academy of Our Lady celebrated the Feast of the Assumption with the first school Mass of the year on August 15. To view pictures click on the title of this post.

Sr. Chantal Mukase, FMA, a member of Mother General’s council, visited Academy of Our Lady on April 8-10. The Salesian Sisters are based in Rome where the Superior General and councilors reside. Mother General sends a member of her council to visit every house and school on her behalf within a six-year period. Salesian Sisters are present in 89 countries and five continents. Sr. Chantal begin her visit with a meet and greet with the faculty and staff on the morning of April 8. Following the meet and greet, a school assembly was held in her honor. While on campus Sr. Chantal had the opportunity to meet students, board members, the administration and parents. She also attended the Spring Arts Festival on April 10 followed by a dinner held in the faculty lounge. Click on the title of this post for more.