TorchMagazine for Alumnae and Friends of St. Mary’sLight Academy Fall 2016 An Evening at the Academy shines bright in support of SMA’s Bursary Fund St. Mary’s Academy | 550 Wellington Crescent | Winnipeg, Manitoba | R3M 0C1 stmarysacademy.mb.ca | facebook.com/smawinnipeg | twitter.com/smawpg Torch Light Published annually by St. Mary’s Academy Editor Georgina (Gina) Borkofski [email protected] Graphic Design Torch Light Georgina (Gina) Borkofski Amy Houston ’03 Contributing Writers st. mary’s academy Georgina (Gina) Borkofski Sr. Michelle Garlinski ’89, SNJM Amy Houston ’03 year in review Georgine Van de Mosselaer ’83 Sr. Susan Wikeem ’63, SNJM President’s Message . 2 Connie Yunyk (Scerbo ’77) Bursary Fund . 3 Photo Credits Georgina (Gina) Borkofski Gonzaga Middle School . 4 Jasmine Gilchrist ’17 Amy Houston ’03 SNJM Provincial Leadership . 5 Chris O’Donoghue Charism and Mission Office . 5 Around the Academy . 6 ST. MARY’S ACADEMY President Staff News . 11 Connie Yunyk (Scerbo ’77) Burning Bright Speaker Series . 12 [email protected] Acting Senior School Principal Marian Awards for Excellence . 13 Michelle Klus [email protected] Alumnae President’s Message . 15 Acting Junior School Principal Homecoming 2016 . 16 Carol-Ann Swayzie (van Es ’80) From the Alumnae Office . 18 [email protected] The Grapevine . 19 Director of Communications and Births . 25 Marketing In Memoriam . 25 Georgina (Gina) Borkofski [email protected] From the Advancement Office . 26 Director of Advancement and Donor Recognition . 27 Alumnae Affairs Georgine Van de Mosselaer ’83 Coming Events . 30 [email protected] Alumnae, Advancement and Special Events Coordinator Amy Houston ’03 [email protected] Editor’s Note Phone St. Mary’s Academy’s Torch Light magazine is our annual 204-477-0244 publication for alumnae and friends of the Academy. Within these pages you will read about the many events and activities Website that welcomed alumnae, students, parents and friends during stmarysacademy.mb.ca the 2015-16 school year. We share with you the importance of our Bursary Fund and how your support changes lives. We also Social Media for SMA give you updates on the Sisters of the Holy Names of Jesus and Mary as well as Gonzaga Middle School, and provide you with a snapshot of present-day school life. In our Grapevine section you’ll hear about what some of your classmates and friends are Social Media for Alumnae Gina Borkofski doing now. I hope that as you read the news and view the photos within these pages, fond memories are recalled, and that you are inspired to continue to Hold High The Torch. Should you have comments about this magazine, or ideas for what you would like to see in future publications, please reach out to me at [email protected]. St. Mary’s Academy 550 Wellington Crescent God Bless. Winnipeg, MB R3M 0C1 1 THE TORCH LIGHT President’s Message A heartfelt hello from the Academy! individual and group interviews, a world In last year’s Torch Light, I mentioned that café and a board the SMA School Board had embarked on retreat held in February. the path of defining a new strategic plan: I am both humbled and a roadmap that would guide and shape energized by the ongoing our decisions in fulfilling the mission of care and commitment from educating young women. I am pleased all stakeholders. Our goal is to report that the Strategic Planning to officially launch and roll Committee, comprised of members from out the Strategic Plan by both boards and with the professional Januar y 2017. guidance of Children and Youth Solutions (CYS), presented a report outlining the Each year, we extend best major Strategic Planning components wishes to board members of Mission, Vision, Values, Goals and who have served on Objectives and was unanimously accepted either the SMA School by the School Board at the May 2016 or Foundation Board, meeting. A system wide data-gathering men and women who effort was undertaken by CYS to ask have served with commitment and a core value, which Blessed Marie-Rose the important and crucial questions professionalism to preserve and advance Durocher lived by daily in service to her of all major stakeholders: the SNJM, the mission and vision of SMA. Our community. students across all grade levels, faculty gratitude is extended to Wanda Daza, and staff, members from both School and Mark Kulas and Dan Snidal for sharing This year our community is called to be a Foundation Boards, Alumnae Association their time, voice and expertise around the People of Hope – a value that will inspire and community, Parents’ Guild and boardroom table. and influence our programs, activities, community, Archdiocese of Winnipeg, events and decisions. administrators from local, national and We look forward to welcoming and working with Cynthia Campbell ’90 and Let us all be infused by the strength of the international independent and/or faith- following prayer: based schools, just to name a few! We current parent Stephanie Gordon on the SMA School Board, and current parents Blessed Marie-Rose, obtain for us today the audacity of Faith, the simplicity of “we now have data, reports and summaries to guide our Hope and the power of Love, that we may actualize the words of Jesus; I have come to decisions about the future of St. Mary’s Academy.” cast fire upon the earth, and how I wish it were already kindled. now have data, reports and summaries to guide our decisions about the future Mark Adamkowicz and Michael Choiselat on the SMA Foundation Board. of St. Mary’s Academy; this information was gathered via surveys, conversations, We have a tradition each year to choose St. Mary’s Academy Inc. St. Mary’s Academy Foundation Inc. Board of Directors Board of Directors Scott Greenlay: Chair Ken Cranston: Chair Bob Cox: Vice Chair Larry Bird: Vice Chair Mission Danielle Fullan Kolton ’89: Secretary Meagan Boles (Henke ’96): Secretary Kevin Klippenstein: Treasurer Paul Franzmann: Treasurer St. Mary’s Academy is a Catholic Leanne Boyd ’65 Mark Adamkowicz school for girls in the tradition of the Cynthia Campbell ’90 Sarah Byers (Nutting ’87) Sisters of the Holy Names of Jesus and Mary. Michael George Michael Choiselat Our mission is to nurture young women, Stephanie Gordon Clare MacKay (Duffy ’86) Sr. Cathy Laviolette Marcia Maia McKenzie ’92 spirit, mind and body, Deanne Magnus ’01 Susanne Parent ’81 so that each student reaches her Colleen McFadden Mike Pyle full potential as an individual Jim McLandress created in God’s image. Vanessa Mulhern ’00 Mabini Pagtakhan Leanne Tsai FALL 2016 2 Bursary Fund The Fund that ensures every deserving student has access to a St. Mary’s Academy education “I really never thought about it until long after graduation—how different my life would be if I had not had the SMA staff and particularly the SNJM community to guide me.” SMA Alumna and Bursary Recipient How would our lives be different if it Pass the Hat first annual An Evening at the Academy, were not for St. Mary’s Academy? It The Drama department ‘passed the hat’ a progressive dining experience, that is a question that resonates with many during their 2015 and 2016 productions of took place on January 30, 2016, with alumnae. It is also likely that each SMA Shrek: The Musical and Annie respectively. resounding success. The event sold out six story is as unique as each person. Perhaps weeks prior and exceeded expectations by Yoga you are an alumna, a parent, a friend, an raising over $55,000 for the Bursary Fund. Amy Houston, SMA’s Alumnae, SNJM or a staff member. The common Contributing to the overall proceeds was Advancement and Special Events thread among everyone is the positive our guests participating in the live auction Coordinator, and also a yoga instructor, impact that SMA had on each individual and/or the “You had me at Merlot” wine taught classes for faculty and staff life. It is this impact that gave energy wall. The event also saw the launch of throughout the year, with a $5 per class fee and momentum to SMA’s Bursary Fund our newly commissioned “Cornerstone directed entirely to the Bursary Fund. focused activities. Wouldn’t it be wonderful Necklace,” designed and individually hand if all young women who were hopeful of Art Auction crafted by alumna Johanna Brierley ’95. an SMA education, regardless of economic Mrs. Deb Nickel, SMA Art Teacher, hosted Johanna partnered with SMA to provide circumstances, could experience the impact her annual week-long Art Auction in May, a beautiful representation of a piece of of a spirit, mind and body education? with art contributions from students, limestone from SMA’s original cornerstone, combined with an inset sapphire and To continue to grow the SMA Bursary alumnae, faculty and staff. hand-stamped with the letters SMA. Fund, the Advancement and Alumnae All of the aformentioned events served to Relations Department organized a host of not only grow the Bursary Fund, but to We also reached out to you for support events and activities: engage people and contribute to the strong in our Torch Light magazine, by email at Homecoming and Christmas, and Bursary Barista SMA community. at various events such as the Marian A monthly café selling delicious hot The flagship event that SMA launched Awards for Excellence Luncheon and beverages to faculty, staff and parents. in support of the Bursary Fund was the our new Burning Bright Speaker Series. You answered our call and we are pleased to announce that the 2015/2016 year, our Annual Giving Campaign exceeded $258,000. Thank you for helping ensure every deserving student has access to an SMA education—your support truly changes lives.