8th Grade Student Graduate

What an amazing year this has been!  The class of 2017 has had many great successes throughout the 2016-2017 school year.  They have worked hard to master difficult concepts, showcase their academic and social strengths, as well as prepare themselves for the transition to high school.

St. Michael's Academy has provided the class of 2017 with an opportunity to learn and grow.  Your investment in their education has afforded them the opportunities that no other school in the area can.  First and foremost, the class of 2017 has grown spiritually in their personal reflections and lives.  This deeper understanding of the gifts that God instills in each of us and our ability to share that with the world around us, was never more apparent as they presented the Living Stations of the Cross in April.  There was a reverence to the dramatization that truly showed how in tune the students were with the foundation of learning and principles instilled here at St. Michael's Academy.

Secondly, SMA has provided students with the skills necessary to approach complex tasks with confidence and independence not always shown by students their age.  Selecting a science fair topic, researching previous information related to the idea and developing a sound strategy to test their thinking, could only happen with years of practice and encouragement.  Students here learn to trust their instincts and value the information they have learned, knowing that it is so much more than what is found in textbooks.

Last but not least, the graduating class of 2017 has learned many of the "soft skills" that the larger world takes for granted.  They have learned to greet people with a handshake, look someone in the eye when carrying on a conversation, and how to speak intelligently on a wide range of topics.  The students have learned compassion for others, charity that begins at home and extends to the community, and the inner strength to persevere in the face of challenges.

We congratulate the class of 2017 on all they have accomplished.  We thank the extended community who supports our mission and has made the success of the class possible.  It takes a village to raise a child and everyone at St. Michael's has contributed to the success the class of 2017 can now celebrate.