There’s never been a better time or place for young women to step up than in America today.
Equipped with grit and skill, and empowered by a sense of social justice, young women can forge their passions through their education, and create unique experiences to find their voice.
This is what Flintridge Sacred Heart Academy (FSHA) does best. The school’s motto, Veritas – Latin for ‘truth’ – is found in every aspect of the educational experience students receive at this independent, college-preparatory, day and boarding school with more than eight decades of history.
Veritas is one of the mottos of the Dominican order. Dominicans are searchers. They are constantly in pursuit of a deeper and fuller understanding of the truth. Whether it be in their studies, their relationships, their faith, or elsewhere, Dominicans are constantly craving and pursuing the truth in all things.
FSHA students embody this Dominican spirit. Whether it’s in academia, faith, careers, the arts or sports, FSHA students are always craving and pursuing truth in everything.
For Nicole P. ‘16, it was FSHA’s Research Program that set her off on a journey of self-discovery. As a junior, she had fixed her mind on pursuing a pre-med track to college. That is, until her Junior Research Project (JRP), a ten-page research paper on the discrimination of Asian-Americans in the media, sparked her passion for social justice.
Growing in confidence, she chose to embark on a year-long research project in her senior year about the stigma of maternal mental health and postpartum depression in America, incorporating a creative dance within her final project.
Today, Nicole studies abroad at the prestigious Karolinska Institute in Stockholm, Sweden, and the proud alumna credits the Research Program for arming her with the skills, perseverance and enlightenment – her “tools for success” – needed for a successful transition to college.
Nicole said: “FSHA’s Research Program broadened my perspective of what issues are prevalent in our society as well as broadened my perspective of what I was interested in. There is so much power in learning these skills at a high school level because it puts you at an advantage when you go on to receive higher level (and in my case a liberal arts) education.”
But this is a school that inspires young women to strive beyond just academia. Through athletics, Ryan D. ’19, who plays volleyball and basketball at FSHA, is able to achieve many more of her individual goals. Due to her involvement and commitment to sport, Ryan now has a better sense of herself, athletically and personally, compared to her freshman year.
Challenges are especially important to young women, and Ryan has been pushed to balance school, practice, games and tournaments, sometimes to the point of exhaustion. Add to that the big upsets from sports and complex high school relationships, and it can be a tough deal for young people like Ryan.
But she considers the experience to have been extremely rewarding.
“Being an athlete at FSHA has taught me the importance of hard work, discipline, determination and teamwork. It has also taught me how to set and strive for goals, the value of preparation, and how to celebrate wins and deal with losses…The positive benefits of playing sports in high school are many, and the benefits of being a student-athlete at FSHA have been life-changing for me and are where some of my best memories in my life were made,” she said.
For Sofia G. ‘18, it was arts at FSHA that changed her life. After arriving as a freshman, she set out auditioning for a musical, captaining the comedy improv team ComedySportz in her junior year and winning an award together with the Flintridge Sacred Heart Chamber Singers choir. At the same time, she was creating unforgettable bonds, making true friends, turning hobbies into passions and making people laugh – all of which would not have been possible without the support of her teachers and peers.
Sofia advises students: “Find your passion … I believe there is no better place to find it than at Flintridge Sacred Heart.”
When Ana Cristina B. ’21 was a student in 8th grade, she didn’t have an easy start on her visit to FSHA. During her 8th Grade Shadow Day, she felt timid and lost, and she was afraid of being judged by upperclassmen or singled out for not wearing the same uniform. But a smile from a current student and a quick scan of girls rushing to their classes during the tour, all of whom looked genuinely happy, convinced her that FSHA was the right school for her.
Her experience so far has been nothing but “empowering,” as she describes.
“Girls at FSHA extol those who are out of the box and are true to who they are. FSHA students are not afraid of asking questions or being out of the ordinary. During the two months I have been at FSHA, I have realized how empowering it is to be in a community where everyone supports one another,” she says.
Your journey begins today, at Flintridge Sacred Heart.