When asked if she was surprised by the students’ achievement , St. Mary’s Academy principal Pamela Rogers responded confidently:
“We were not shocked…our students can do anything. And that’s what we tell them. You know, ‘The sky is the limit, and we want to be up there with you.’”
Rogers explained that all the young women at St. Mary’s are exceptional, nurtured to believe in their potential from an early age .
“We teach young women to give service, to empower themselves, [and] to be in the community. We teach them to grow spiritually, intellectually…to be good people and give to one another,” Rogers told Whitaker.
The school faced a significant challenge in 2005 when Hurricane Katrina caused severe flooding , necessitating the complete rebuilding of the original site.
St. Mary’s Academy emerged stronger despite these hardships, with a new building and expanded enrollment .
Calcea Johnson and Ne’Kiya Jackson, both affected by Hurricane Katrina, exemplify the resilience and determination fostered at St. Mary’s.
“I want to be an environmental engineer,” Calcea told Whitaker. “I want to be able to come back and help the New Orleans communities , since they helped raise me. Helping with climate change and helping with flooding would be a really big thing to help New Orleans. So, I want to help.”
St. Mary’s Academy continues to uphold its founder’s vision, empowering young Black women to achieve academic excellence and become community leaders.
Get updates delivered to you daily. Free and customizable.
Welcome to NewsBreak, an open platform where diverse perspectives converge. Most of our content comes from established publications and journalists, as well as from our extensive network of tens of thousands of creators who contribute to our platform. We empower individuals to share insightful viewpoints through short posts and comments. It’s essential to note our commitment to transparency: our Terms of Use acknowledge that our services may not always be error-free, and our Community Standards emphasize our discretion in enforcing policies. We strive to foster a dynamic environment for free expression and robust discourse through safety guardrails of human and AI moderation. Join us in shaping the news narrative together.
Comments / 0