Kimberly’sExperience
TheAcademyhas alwaysbeen very special
inmy life. Ididn’tnecessarilyagreewithmy
parentswhen theysentmehere in the ’80s,
but I have awesomememories of my time
here as a student. That iswhy I decided all
three of my daughters would go here as
well. I wanted them to have opportunities
and develop friendships that will last a
lifetime, just as I did.
Istill remembermyschedule,andset7was
mystudyhall.Wewoulddropaseteachday,
so I really enjoyedC-Days because I didn’t
havealgebra(SorryMs.Ellis,or ImeanMrs.
Van Pelt). We all looked forward to using
the Junior Lounge (N218), and definitely
the Senior Lounge (N213-N215)—it was
huge! Fond memories include running to
our next class on cold days to be the first
tositnext to the radiator,HonorSisterDays
and leavingcampus for lunchsenior year.
I am privileged to work at AHN now, as I
havedonemostofmycareer. I really like the
fact that my girls are getting the guidance
and education that will best prepare them
for their futures. Sister Anne, Sister Mary
GlavinandSisterPatriciaPlumbkeep them
in line—just as they didwithme. Although
times have changed, many of the AHN
traditions remain thesame. Iespecially look
forward to seeing Mica, and every one of
my girls, sitting on stage in her white cap
andgown, a red rose anddiploma inhand.
I can’t describe the joy and nostalgia I feel
during this momentous occasion, and I
hope theywill feel thesamewayoneday.
Mica’sExperience
TheAcademyseemed the logical choice for
me since my mom teaches at the school
and my sister was entering her senior
year at the time I started. I survived my
freshman year unscathed, but sophomore
year really escalated my appreciation of
theAcademy.We started the pilot program
testing different technologies as a way to
learn and take notes. What a smart idea!
One that certainly further elevatesAcademy
asan innovativeschool.
Now inmysenior year, I carrya lightweight
iPad to class instead of many heavy
textbooks—especially the physics book!
It is so convenient to see my textbooks
whenever I want without trekking to my
lockeronthefourthfloor.Notability isagreat
app to take notes, with both writing and
typing capabilities. All of the technological
advancements that have taken place at
Academy recently are helping us focus on
learning and training our brains to develop
new ideas and processes. Academy took a
leapof faith toembrace thismovement and
launchus into this new-age education, and
it’smadeaworldof difference forme.
The best part of being at the Academy is
knowing that when I go to school every
day I have the girls there to support me.
The idea of sisterhood didn’t come to me
naturally, but we have grown together and
formed a bond throughout the years. My
classmade a paper chain link and hung it
across the ceiling of the Senior Lounge;
eachday,we tearoffone linkandyellout the
name written on it. If your name is called,
everyonecheers for you, and it isknownas
“your day.”We are definitely a family, and
I knowmy fellow sisters are always there
for me. So are the Sisters, such as Sister
Mary Glavin and Sister Ann Regan. I am
confident that they always supportme—as
well as punishme, when I start acting like
a fool. Even though Academy was not my
firstchoice, Iwouldn’tchangea thing. I love
Academymore than I love our bake sales,
and I am so grateful for thememories and
opportunites that thisschool hasgivenme.
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articleby
KimWiley (A’82) andMicaWiley (A’15)
