We started this newsletter to revive the connection with our alumni.

We all have a special connection to our high school and college(s). We go to reunions and wear a shirt with their emblem or insignia, so why not a connection to our elementary school?

We want you to know:

• that you are very important to us and still a part of a special St. Mary's family.
• how we are continuing the traditions and the direction we are moving- paving the way for future generations.
• how proud we are of our alumni and celebrate their accomplishments.
• how to be a part of our current students' and their family's experience.

So, please sit back and enjoy our quarterly newsletter as we focus on the past and present.

And if you would like to join our alumni team to assist with this newsletter or any of our events, please reach out to us. (sms.alumni@dor.org)

Remember celebrating Catholic Schools' Week?

You may remember:

• participating in the 9 AM Mass - Reading at the ambo, singing in the children's choir, processing in with candles or the tablecloth while signing "We Come To Your Feast", or greeting at the door.
• Having a choice of ice skating, bowling, or watching a movie.
• Dressing up in different themes each day.
• Writing an essay about what it meant to go to a catholic school.
• Participating in a school wide or class service project.

Whether you remember all that or not, we continue to celebrate our catholic schools!

Take a look at this year's pictures of our service project.

We have such amazing alumni and here is a saint we want to highlight!

Any suggestions for future alumni spotlights? Send us an email @ sms.alumni@dor.org.

I am currently a senior at Colgate University studying International Relations and Spanish, with plans to attend graduate school in the fall to study Diplomacy at either Georgetown University or George Washington University. My time at St. Mary’s School was full of experiences that helped shape my character, career goals, and above all, my faith. The science fair, English poetry contests and Nat Geo Bee all remain core memories that pushed me outside of my comfort zone to explore different areas I was passionate about. However, one of my fondest memories at St. Mary’s was performing in the Lenten Reflections play the St. Genesius players put on every spring. I was a member of the Genesians from 2nd until 8th grade but Lenten Reflections was one of my favorite pieces we performed because it reminded me of what Catholic education was all about. St Mary’s emphasis on faith in every student helped me develop a solid faith base that carried me through high school at Our Lady of Mercy and at Colgate, where I am an active member of the Newman Catholic community.

I will be graduating from Colgate this May and attending graduate school in the fall in order to pursue my goal of becoming a Foreign Service Officer in Latin America for the Department of State or USAID. Currently, I work as a virtual intern for the State Department’s Human Rights team in Mexico City, working on annual reports that compile data on human rights violations and religious freedom. This past summer, I had the opportunity to intern at the international level for a UN humanitarian agency in Costa Rica. My Spanish skills that I first learned at SMS sparked my love for learning languages and for Latin America in particular. Now, I also speak Portuguese and am a semi-finalist for an English teaching Fulbright Scholarship in Brazil for 2023. All of these wonderful experiences and opportunities I’ve had I attribute to my time at St. Mary’s. Not only was I taught how to carry my faith in every aspect of my life, including service to others, which I hope to do every day in my future career, but SMS also taught me discipline in academics, challenging me to go above and beyond.

This year we are looking for more volunteers to help our students.

Please consider one of these ways:

1. Volunteer to supervise and assist with one of our after school activities. We have an art club, chess club, and card game club. Volunteers need to complete the CASE training and background check.
2. Classroom Angel - Looking for folks to adopt a classroom in small ways or big ways. You can be a prayer partner, purchase a personal Bible for a middle school student, purchase a rosary for a first communion student, be a guest reader, or come in and play educational board games with our youngest students. The ideas are endless, but we welcome you to be part of our classrooms.

We also have a few other options to support the school:

• Lakeshore Liquor and Wine on Routes 5&20 in the Michael's plaza will donate 20% of purchases made each Monday to the school. Just mention St. Mary's.
• Monthly Restaurants - Each month a local restaurant agrees to donate a portion of purchases made on a given day to the school. Check out our Facebook page StMarysCanandaigua to see what upcoming restaurants are participating.

Join us at noon on Friday, June 17, 2022 in Dougherty Hall for a special lunch served by our Middle School House Program. We want to give everyone an opportunity to connect with each other; meet some future alumni; look through some old yearbooks; and maybe stay for a game of volleyball or four square against our current middle school kids.

If interested, please RSVP to sms.alumni@dor.org.