The richness of Woodlands Academy of the Sacred Heart’s cultural diversity was celebrated with its Flag Ceremony Sept. 10 at the all-girls college-preparatory day-and-boarding high school. This annual event recognizes and honors the breadth of international diversity on its Lake Forest campus. Its rich cultural diversity is viewed as a true blessing at Woodlands Academy – one of the many forms of diversity which Sacred Heart Schools seek and cherish. Indeed, it’s very much the educational vision of Sacred Heart Schools, as articulated by the foundress of the Society of the Sacred Heart, St. Madeleine Sophie Barat. “To influence our world, we must understand it,” she said.

The Aug. 24 start of the 2021-22 term launched a second year of in-person classroom instruction at Woodlands Academy with COVID-19 protocols once again governing life at the all-girls high school in Lake Forest. School officials believe that students learn most effectively when they can actively engage with their teachers and peers. For the second year in a row, the school’s COVID-19 guidelines are part of Woodlands Academy's dedication to keeping that a reality. The mood was festive with various displays of school spirit as members of the Class of 2022 celebrated their newfound status during what’s become known as “Seniors Rule Day.”

Capt. Lori Legat Cline ’79 has become the first female pilot to reach the level of managing director at American Airlines. In her new, additional role as managing director of pilot recruitment & crew accommodations, Cline welcomes the opportunity to find female and other diverse candidates to fill upcoming cockpit vacancies. She expressed an interest in flying at an early age and in 1983 became the youngest female airline captain in the world. Later, she was the industry’s first-ever female director of flight safety and scored other firsts for women in her profession. “The education I got at Woodlands Academy propelled me to heights I might not otherwise have achieved,” Cline says.