This week, we welcomed a Visiting Team of three professionals from Mercy Education to our campus. The Team met with various school constituents, including the administration, faculty, staff, and Board members, as well as student leader groups and a small group of parents. In addition to their meetings, they experienced a student-led tour of the campus, as well as a short performance by our Chorale Ensemble. Click here to view the performance.

Sister Lisa D. Gambacorto, RSM, Ed.S., Directress of Mount Saint Mary Academy in Watchung congratulated the following students who have been named Commended Students in the 2024 National Merit Scholarship Program.

Zoe Daly '24 attended the Jack and Jill of America On the Hill Legislative Summit in Washington, D.C. this past weekend. She was one of over 600 high school students from around the country who learned about advocacy and then put that learning into action.

Elizabeth Roper, Director of College Counseling, and Eileen Honicky, Assistant Director of College Counseling, attended the National Association of College Admission Counselors (NACAC) annual conference in Baltimore where they joined over 7,000 college admission professionals, college counselors and higher education personnel for three days of valuable learning, engagement, and discussions.

Jacqueline Muratore, Assistant Directress for Faculty, Curriculum, and Planning at Mount Saint Mary Academy in Watchung, announced on Friday, September 22, that the College Board has recognized 52 students as Advanced Placement (AP) Scholars.

Throughout the week, the Mount community has been commemorating its pride of being a Mercy school and its dedication to uphold the mission of Catherine McAuley, the Mercy Core Values, and the Critical Concerns of the Sisters of Mercy. On Friday, we all paused during the Mercy Day Liturgy in Immaculate Conception Chapel to honor our Sisters on campus who inspire us as well as all of those who underline the value of mercy. Our Sisters of Mercy and Mercy Associates renewed their vows and covenants, respectively.

On the afternoon of September 22, an installation ceremony was held for the Student Council, Peer Ministers, Peer Facilitators, Executive Board of the National Honor Society, and members of the Cum Laude Society. The academic achievement of our Advanced Placement Scholars and other honored students was also recognized by Jacqueline Muratore, Assistant Directress for Faculty, Curriculum, and Planning and Assistant Directress and Athletic Director, Denise Materia. Click here to view a list of those honored and installed. We are grateful for all of the honorees principled leadership, educational courage, and mercy spirit.

Gathered in the Sister Lisa Gambacorto Theater on Wednesday morning were members of the freshmen class as they were treated to a bagel breakfast and warm welcomes from JoAnn Rojek Minnicino '74, P'11 (Alumnae Association President) and Erika Parisse Demetrick '89, P'22.

Mount Saint Mary Academy began hosting college admission professional visits from a variety of colleges and universities across the country. Almost 70 schools are scheduled to visit, meeting with interested seniors and juniors as well as Elizabeth Roper, Director of College Counseling, and Eileen Honicky, Assistant Director of College Counseling.

Following the traditional "clapping in" of the Class of 2027 from the Mount Building to Immaculate Conception Chapel, the school year was officially ushered in at Convocation.

The new academic year for the Class of 2027 is off to a running start as our freshmen attended their Orientation on August 31. The theme was "Putting the Pieces Together" and the event was planned by Julia Pierce, Enrollment Management Associate and Student Council Moderator.

Mount Saint Mary Academy is pleased to congratulate the 52 students recognized by the College Board as AP Scholars with an average score of 3.94. After taking the 2023 AP Exams, 21 students were named as AP Scholars with Distinction, 13 students were named as AP Scholars with Honors and 18 students were named as AP Scholars.

On the eve of their graduation, members of the senior class and their parents gathered in Immaculate Conception Chapel for a Baccalaureate Mass which was led by Reverend Anthony Sirianni.

The Mount Saint Mary Academy community gathered for Closing Liturgy in Immaculate Conception Chapel on the morning of June 1 with Reverend Monsignor William Benwell presiding.

Before enjoying a special Tea and Luncheon with their mothers, members of the Class of 2023 were inducted into the Mount Saint Mary Academy Alumnae Association during a special ceremony held earlier this week in Immaculate Conception Chapel.

The Executive Board is proud to announce that we have reached our goal of $5,000 for the Mercy Girl Effect Project focusing on girls’ education in Nairobi, Kenya.

Joanne Cadigan-Peters, Social Studies Department Chairperson, recently presented Madeleine Ahlbeck '23 with the Excellence in American History award from the Basking Ridge Chapter of the Daughters of American Revolution (DAR). Madeline is a senior at the Mount. Her sister, Alexandra, graduated in 2021.

Anyone who has crossed paths with Ruth Anne Munroe during her seven years at Mount Saint Mary Academy knows that she has worn many hats while impacting countless lives along the way.

The Mount Fed Challenge team, which is comprised of Zoe Daly '24, Lillian Del Rossi '24, Victoria Fekete '24, Katherine Ferris '24, Isabelle Fretz '24, Nina Heim '24, Charlotte Jotz '24, and Akshaya Karanam '24, developed a podcast on the Economics of Globalization which has been selected for publication in the Journal of Future Economists.

Calling her 25 years at Mount Saint Mary Academy years that have shaped her life, Spanish teacher Marian Senior said, “I have been blessed with the opportunity to interact with some of the most incredible young women on the planet.”

The academic/extracurricular accomplishments of our students as well as the professional and volunteer efforts of our Mount community were lauded and recognized on the evening of Monday, May 15, in Immaculate Conception Chapel during our annual Academy Awards Night.

On the morning of May 16, students receiving special Book Awards were recognized in the Parlor by Elizabeth Roper, Director of College Counseling, and Jacqueline Muratore, Assistant Directress for Faculty, Curriculum, and Planning. These awards include:

Since 1999, Kathleen Brennan has been empowering, encouraging, and helping to shape the successful journeys of young women at the Mount. As she prepares to retire, she remembers her career at the Academy which began as a math teacher and then transitioned the Mathematics Department Chairperson after two years.

Working in Support of Education (W!se), a national nonprofit, announced that Mount Saint Mary Academy has been recognized as one of the 2023 “100 Best W!se High Schools Teaching Personal Finance.” This designation is the first and only national ranking of its type, recognizing excellence in personal finance instruction among W!se’s national network of schools that participate in its Financial Literacy Certification program.

Congratulations to the team of juniors Victoria Fekete '24 and Akshaya Karanam '24 who learned on Wednesday that they have advanced to the final round of the 2023 Quality of Life (QLI) INNOVATIONS competition!

Members of the 2022-2023 Student Council Executive Board have officially stepped down to usher in the 2023-2024 slate of officers.

Olivia Encarnacion '23 has been selected as a winner of the Colgate-Palmolive Company Scholarship, a National Merit Scholarship Corporation Special Scholarship.

On April 28, Mount Saint Mary Academy Directress Sister Lisa Gambacorto, RSM, Ed.S. congratulated Charlotte Gray '23 on being named Valedictorian and Mary Claire Schleck '23 on being designated Salutatorian. The formal announcement was made by Jacqueline Muratore, Assistant Directress for Faculty, Curriculum, and Planning, during a special convocation in Immaculate Conception Chapel.

Congratulations to Akshaya Karanam '24 and Victoria Fekete '24 who have been recognized by the National Speech and Debate Association (NSDA) as Academic All Americans, a distinction that fewer than 2 percent of NSDA students earn each year. They are the first students in Mount Speech and Debate history to achieve this award.

For the second year in a row, the Mount Saint Mary Academy Euro Challenge team has taken home the first-place trophy! Among some very tough competition, the team excelled at explaining the current economic conditions in Europe and answered some very tough questions on the future of work in Italy. The team includes sophomores Katherine Byrne '25, Madison DeFrancisco '25, Mary Cate King '25, Megan Quraishi '25, Grace Puglisi '25, Manuela Roncancio-Roldan '25, and Jenny Zhu '25.

On the evening of April 24, Mary Claire Schleck '23 received a 2022-2023 Scholar Athlete Award during the Somerset County Interscholastic Athletic Association dinner and ceremony.

Students in Cecelia Lahiff’s Latin I-Latin IV classes at Mount Saint Mary Academy in Watchung took the National Latin Exam during the month of March. The following students received awards from the American Classical League and the National Junior Classical League for their outstanding scores on the exam:

The Mount Saint Mary Academy softball field was officially dedicated on Friday, April 21, to Denise E. Materia, Assistant Directress and Athletic Director. The scoreboard bearing her name is positioned on the field and Ms. Materia was honored during a special ceremony in the Sister Lisa Gambacorto Theater.

On the evening of Wednesday, April 19, students and their families gathered in Immaculate Conception Chapel for Honors Convocation. During the program, students were inducted into the Art Honor Society, Tri-M Music Honor Society, English Honor Society, Mathematics Honor Society, Science Honor Society, World Language Honor Societies (Italian, Spanish, Latin), National Honor Society, and The Cum Laude Society.

Dena Mistichelli '23 will be honored by Long Hill Township at a ceremony on Wednesday, May 10, as a recipient of the Girl Scouts Gold Star Award. A member of Girl Scouts of Northern New Jersey No. 4581, she officially received the Gold Award designation, the highest honor a Girl Scout can achieve, on January 23.

Congratulations to the Euro Challenge team which traveled to Manhattan last week to compete against other teams from the New York Metropolitan area. The team advanced to the semifinal round of the 2023 National Competition which will take place in New York City on Monday, April 24. Team members, pictured above, include: Katherine Byrne '25, Madison DeFrancisco '25, Grace Puglisi '25, Manuela Roncancio-Roldan '25, Mary Catherine King '25, Jenny Zhu '25, and Megan Quraishi '25.

On the evening of March 27, our Directress S. Lisa D. Gambacorto, RSM, Ed.S., was honored at the borough's first Women In Business of Watchung ceremony. She was among three other honorees to receive proclamations and to be lauded as outstanding contributors to the borough's business presence, especially during Women's History Month.

The Shrine of Saint Joseph in Stirling was the perfect backdrop for seniors to bond spiritually before they prepare to embark on their college journeys in June. 

On March 24 and 25, seven members of the Speech and Debate Team competed at the District competition for Forensics Public Speaking hosted by the NJ Speech & Debate League.

Last week, Mackenzie Daly '26 attended the Jack and Jill of America, Inc. Eastern Region Conference in New York City.

On March 18, Mount Saint Mary Academy was recognized on the field during half-time at the MLS Red Bull soccer game versus the Columbus Crew at the Red Bull Arena in Harrison.

A beautiful liturgy entitled, "Lighting the Way" was celebrated for members of the incoming freshman class and their families on Saturday afternoon in Immaculate Conception Chapel.

On March 17 and 18, five members of the Speech and Debate Team competed at the State Competition for Forensics Public Speaking hosted by the NJ Speech & Debate League. The Mount is belongs to the Catholic Forensics League and the NJ Speech & Debate League which offer tournaments year-round in public speaking. To qualify to attend the New Jersey State Championship, students need to have finished in the top six of their category in at least one of their NJ Speech & Debate League tournaments this year.

It was all hands on deck for Service Day on Wednesday as members of the Mount community rolled up their sleeves to aid clients served by a wide variety of local organizations. 

On February 25, members of the Forensics Speech & Debate Team attended the Catholic Forensics League's National Tournament where they competed in the Grand Qualifying Tournament against six other schools at DePaul Catholic High School in Wayne.

On March 5, Dani Carter '25, Olivia Chow '23, Meghan Dwyer '26, Sophia Latini '23, Kayla Marion '25, Livia Minaides '23, and Catherine Ritter '25 competed at the Meet of Champions at Gloucester Institute of Technology in Sewell. Coach Megan Decker reported the following accolades:

Mount students engaged with representatives from over 60 colleges and universities on the afternoon of Tuesday, March 7, where they learned about boundless opportunities for the next step in their educational journey.

Congratulations to the Mount Saint Mary Academy Mock Trial team upon being designated SOMERSET COUNTY CHAMPIONS! On the evening of February 22, our Legal Lions defeated Montgomery at the Somerset County Courthouse. June Gill '24 was awarded Best Attorney, but everyone played a huge role in this victory. 

The Students of Color Affinity (SOCA) group at Mount Saint Mary Academy sponsored two visits to the Center for Creativity in Westfield (formerly The Rialto Theater) in February to explore significant historical figures and milestones during the “African American History in Westfield from 1720” exhibition and documentary event.

On the afternoon of Wednesday, February 15, Mount Saint Mary Academy hosted over 40 girls in grades 5 - 8, competing in the annual Winter Invitational Junior Forensics Competition.

Alumnae excelling in a wide variety of career endeavors returned to the Mount on Friday, February 10, to share their expertise and advice with students during Career Day.

Members of the Peer Ministry Leadership Team and Club met Thursday to complete a banner representing the Sisters of Mercy’s Critical Concern of Racism. The group also collaborated with the Students of Color Affinity to create flyers featuring Black Americans (a project led by Shelby Carmant ’25), their biographies, and quotes on unity. 

On Friday, February 10, the following members of the senior class who are eligible to be recognized as Cum Laude Society members, determined by their mid-year cumulative GPA, were recognized.

Did you know that three of our Mounties are currently ranked number 1 in the respective events in track and field? Congratulations to Payton Kochanski '23, Jordyn Collie '23, and Mackenzie Daly '26! 

On Friday, February 3, members of the Future Medical Professionals Club at Mount Saint Mary Academy in Watchung visited the Rutgers-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School anatomy lab.

This week, the Mount Saint Mary Academy community was bustling with enthusiasm in celebration of Catholic school education. Monday afternoon's Liturgy was followed by a talent show on Tuesday. On Wednesday, students celebrated the U.S. and added red, blue, and gold to their uniforms. Thursday followed with a celebration of vocations, featuring an ice cream social with the Sisters of Mercy on campus. The week concluded with a spirited basketball game with students and faculty/staff members. Throughout the week, Find the Lion and Penny Wars were held.

On Saturday, January 28, nine members of the Mount's Speech and Debate team competed at Ridge High School in the New Jersey Speech & Debate League. A record turnout of over 700 students from six states including New York, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, Vermont and Arkansas, gave our young ladies some great competition as well as an opportunity to learn different styles in presentation, gesturing, facial expression, vocal variation and piece selection.  

Congratulations to the Mount's Mock Trial team which won over Somerville at the Somerset County Courthouse on the evening of February 1, with Sarah Mooney '25 being named Best Attorney! Our plaintiff side, led by June Gill '24 and Anne Tighe '24, competes against Pingry on Tuesday! Wish our Legal Lions good luck!

Two senior student-athletes at Mount Saint Mary Academy confirmed their Offer of Admission and commitment to continue careers in college. They were celebrated during a special gathering in Mother Mary Patrick Gymnasium with friends, coaches, faculty, staff and administration on the morning of Monday, January 30.

Dr. Joseph Bonk, Department of English Chairperson at Mount Saint Mary Academy in Watchung, announced that the 2022 edition of Echoes literary magazine, themed "Refuge," was awarded the designation of “Excellent” by the National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE) Recognizing Excellence in Art and Literary Magazines (REALM) Program on January 21. The Mount has received distinctions of "Merit," "Excellent," and "Superior" since 2011, according to Dr. Joseph Bonk, English Department Chair and Echoes advisor.

On the morning of January 21, four students from Mount Saint Mary Academy in Watchung were presented with St. Timothy Awards by Bishop James F. Checchio of the Diocese of Metuchen during a special ceremony held at St. Francis Cathedral in Metuchen. The honored students are: Marina Cialdella ‘23 (nominated by Blessed Sacrament/Martinsville), Kayley Moran ‘23 and Rebecca Ryan ‘23 (both nominated by Mount Saint Mary Academy), and Gianna Savatta ’24 (nominated by St. Mary/Stony Hill). 

Mount Saint Mary Academy has earned the College Board’s 2022 AP Computer Science Female Diversity Award for expanding young women’s access to AP Computer Science Principles (CSP). This award has been garnered by the Academy since 2018.

On January 17, Matt Ashburn, President and Founder of ReachOut and a student at Seton Hall University, visited Mount Saint Mary Academy to distribute “stress kits” to juniors Zoe Daly ‘24 and Zoe Schack ‘24. The kits contained puzzles, stress balls, journals, play dough, kinetic sand, and a variety of other activities and materials aimed at reducing anxiety and improving mental health.

An incredibly insightful presentation by Mount Saint Mary Academy alumnae from the Classes of 2020, 2021, and 2022 was offered to seniors during the "Return to the Mount" in the S. Lisa Gambacorto Theater.