On four occasions during the school year, the Woodlands Academy community comes together to acknowledge two girls per class and one member of the adult community for living the Sacred Heart Goals and Criteria in a most visible way. Our final Sacred Heart Awards of the 2019-20 school year were tabulated and presented remotely – the “new normal” for us due to COVID-19.

 

 Despite the differences in how recipients were determined and notified, the criteria remained the same. Sacred Heart Awards are given based on a vote of the students, ratified by the advisors in recognition of good conduct, good spirit, helpful influence and leadership. They serve to remind the entire Woodlands Academy community of the Sacred Heart Goals and Criteria. For the Spring Sacred Heart Awards, our student government selected Goal Four: “Schools of the Sacred Heart commit themselves to educate to the building of community as a Christian value.”

 

 Those recognized in May 2020 for their efforts in living out this goal were: freshmen Clara Bartusiak and Espe Garcia, sophomores Stephanie Smith and Caitlin Mooney, juniors Natalie Williams and Nora Quigley, seniors Jenna Gonzalez and Gabby Olges, and biology teacher Julia Dunn.

 

They got their awards via Google Hangouts to record and capture the moment. A time was set to ‘meet’ with each winner and bestow her award. The student was told that there was exciting news to share and asked if the virtual meeting could be recorded. All of these individual recordings were then edited together into a longer video to share with the Woodlands Academy community.

 

The Woodlands Academy tradition of Sacred Heart Awards traces its roots to an older Sacred Heart tradition called Primes where medals were given for politeness, order, and excellence in various academic subjects. Ten years ago, Woodlands brought back the tradition of awarding ribbons to which St. Rose Philippine Duchesne medals are attached.