LINKS Volume 16, Issue 3 Spring 2016

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1 Laurel LINKS Volume 16, Issue 3 Spring 2016 Ursuline Students at the United Nations. See story on page 3

2 Dear Colleagues and Friends of Ursuline Education, Another academic year is drawing to a close. It is a time to gratefully reflect on the many blessings God has bestowed on us as individuals, as members of a particular school community, and as members of a global community of Ursuline educators. In this issue we pay tribute to our retiring board members whose service on the UEN Board helped propel the Ursuline network to offer new opportunities to promote the unique values and charism of St. Angela. One of our initiatives this year was inviting schools to participate in the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women 60. Five schools sent students to New York to join students from the Academy of Mount St. Ursula for an experience they won t soon forget. You can read about this venture in this issue. A famous quote from the late Robert F. Kennedy came to mind when I was interviewing two young women at St. Ursula Academy Cincinnati about their commitment to ethical shopping and engaging their school to adopt a fair trade uniform policy. There are those who look at things the way they are and ask why... I dream of things that never were and ask why not? You can read how their dreaming of a just world inspired concrete action. UEN would like to spread the good news about students in our schools who promote justice. Send us the information so we can share it with our network. And now we welcome summer and the opportunity to perhaps work shorter days, to enjoy family and friends, to devote some leisure time to quiet reflection on the blessings in our lives. Enriched by these Sabbath weeks, we will return to our ministry of education with renewed hearts and spirits. Perhaps you will enjoy this poem as you look forward to summer... The Summer Day Mary Oliver Who made the world? Who made the swan, and the black bear? Who made the grasshopper? This grasshopper, I meanthe one who has flung herself out of the grass, the one who is eating sugar out of my hand, who is moving her jaws back and forth instead of up and downwho is gazing around with her enormous and complicated eyes. Now she lifts her pale forearms and thoroughly washes her face. Now she snaps her wings open, and floats away. I don t know exactly what a prayer is. I do know how to pay attention, how to fall down into the grass, how to kneel down in the grass, how to be idle and blessed, how to stroll through the fields, which is what I have been doing all day. Tell me, what else should I have done? Doesn t everything die at last, and too soon? Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?* My prayer is that the Holy Spirit will lead you to discover how you need to be renewed this summer. Sincerely, Share stories of your students promoting a just world. Send information to Judy Wimberg Judy.wimberg@gmail.com Judith A. Wimberg Director, Ursuline Education Network * from New and Selected Poems, 1992 Beacon Press, Boston, MA

3 Ursuline Students and the Commission on the Status of Women 60 For 60 years, the UN Commission on the Status of Women has meet annually for 14 days to consider how women and girls are faring world-wide. This year, students and their chaperones from six Ursuline sponsored schools joined the conference. Sister Alice Marie Guardino, OSU, and students from the Academy of Mount St. Ursula guided those new to the experience from Ursuline Academies in Dallas, Dedham, St. Louis, Wilmington and St. Ursula Academy, Cincinnati. Sister Alice Marie and her students offered Ursuline hospitality to the newcomers- cards of greeting and welcome, a goodie bag and a pompom made of the colors of the six schools. These words of welcome were written by Gabriel Falcones: Hello. Welcome to New York. You re going to love the city and UN. Being part of this has helped me understand the issues in the world and become a better, more confident future leader. With that base of support, the students were empowered to dive into an exciting new experience. Students attending the UN conference are invited to an orientation day, sponsored by the Working Group on Girls (WGG). This NGO (nongovernment organization registered officially at the UN) is a coalition of over 75 national and international non-governmental organizations with representation at the UN dedicated to promoting the human rights of the girl child. Its motto is: An NGO Committee for girls, with girls at the United Nations. Ursuline Academy, St. Louis, MO At the all-day orientation, young women associated with WGG introduced the UN s Sustainable Development Goals, which would be the focus of the sessions the students would be attending during the following days. During the next three days, March 14-16, the delegations from the Ursuline schools had the Ursuline Academy, Dedham,MA

4 opportunity to attend presentations related to the situation of women and girls around the world. The sessions centered on the priority theme: women s empowerment and its link to sustainable development; and the review theme: the elimination and prevention of all forms of violence against women and girls. Several topics were of particular interest to the Ursuline students: those on human trafficking, women s leadership, training youth to participate in advocacy work, supporting refugee girls, the exploitation of girls in the media, and ending violence against women and girls. Ursuline Academy, Dallas, TX All the students could attend parallel events sponsored by various NGOs at venues near the UN building. Some were chosen by lot to have grounds passes so they could go to the UN for some side events. Some groups, through the ingenuity of their chaperones, secured passes to attend a presentation inside the UN building. Everyone participated in a UN tour. Kate Schenck, a chaperone from Ursuline Academy of Dallas, offered this reflection on the experience: The CSW experience was an incredible opportunity for our students to see international development work up close and first hand. Not only did they tour the UN, but attending the parallel events throughout the week allowed them to hear non-profit organizations from around the world discuss issues affecting women and girls worldwide. Connecting to other girls from around the country through the Working Group on Girls set the tone for the experience, and allowed our students to work with other Ursuline girls to discuss critical issues that affect their generation. As an Ursuline community, we were able to further develop our international understanding and consider opportunities for service within the international community, two core principles of our mission and heritage. The experience was so positive that UEN plans to invite Ursuline schools to participate in UN CSW 61 next March. Information will be sent to the schools in late fall. Ursuline Academy, Wilmington, DE St. Ursula Academy, Cincinnati

5 St. Angela s Vision Alive and Well in the Twenty-First Century If according to times and needs any change should be introduced, do it prudently and with good advice... The administration of St Ursula Academy recently did just that made a change in its uniform supplier because of good advice from two of its juniors. Kate Bachman and Emilie Kilfoil. One day in August 2015 Kate recounted to her friend Emily her interest in ethical fashion. Her interest had been piqued by a blog she read on the topic and solidified by viewing the documentary True Cost. She started examining clothes offered at the mall and realized how difficult it is to shop ethically. Then she started thinking about school uniforms. Would it be possible to extend ethical shopping to that purchase? Kate s passion intrigued Emilie. She watched the documentary and immediately joined forces with Kate to bring about change. Act, bestir yourselves, have faith, make efforts, have hope... The two adopted a logical plan to effect that change. They researched the uniform company currently used by the school. This company purchased uniforms from a manufacturer in El Salvador. Contacting a human rights attorney there, they learned that almost all clothing manufacturers violated the human rights of their employees as is common place in South and Central America and Asia. Unable to find a company that provided ethically made uniforms, the two planned to start their own company, developing a website, creating a video and choosing a name Mela, the Hindi name for fair. They were ready to pitch the idea at a start-up weekend to secure funding. Identifying with the workers, Kate and Emilie personally adopted ethical shopping practices and knew that enlisting the school in this effort is in line with our school s mission, Kate observed. Now they were ready to make a presentation to SUA s administration. Students will begin wearing uniform skirts purchased through One Seed Heritage in the school year. Kate and Emilie will have graduated in May 2017, but during their years at St. Ursula they will have made a significant contribution to the school s heritage. SUA Principal, Craig Maliborski, praised the two students: As educators in an Ursuline school, we are always excited when students take the initiative to challenge our institution to live more fully in its mission. The work that Kate and Emilie are doing with free trade uniforms is a prime example of students who understand the Core Values of an Ursuline Education. Taking their convictions to the next step, Kate and Emilie also made efforts to educate the student body about the coming change and the motivation behind it through a presentation at the school s Lunch and Learn series. They explained the importance of ethical shopping and challenged other students to adopt that practice. Rachel Kemper, Service Learning Coordinator commented: They gave one of the most impressive presentations on fair trade that anyone could have given. Both girls learned about fair trade clothing from a documentary they watched over the summer, and they took the initiative to do research about fair trade uniform options. They demonstrated great collaboration with peers, a key element to effective Then, one day they happened upon a company which was already doing what they wanted to do: One Seed Heritage. Based in Ohio, it was started by a female entrepreneur who had worked with other schools in providing uniforms. One of those schools is Beaumont School in Cleveland Heights. The company works with ethical manufacturers in Guatemala and India and adds a personal relationship element to the business partnership. Schools who purchase uniforms through One Seed Heritage can arrange for students to communicate with the workers via Skype or even through a visit to the factory.

6 leadership, while stewarding a significant justice issue through the bureaucratic channels of school decision making. They are extremely motivated and promoted Fashion Revolution Day this year at SUA through their lunch time presentation. I see more clearly, and hold more dear the good I see you doing... There are people who talk about doing things, and then there are people who do them. Kate Bachman and Emilie Kilfoil are two of those individuals. Kate and Emilie are passionate about social justice issues and are absolutely committed to serving others. During this year these girls have led a charge to bring fair trade uniforms to Saint Ursula Academy. They learned about fair trade clothing from a documentary they watched over the summer, and they took the initiative to do research about fair trade uniform options. I was in awe of their research and their presentation all done on their own, not as part of a class, no grade, no reward, except knowing they were doing what they believed was the right thing to do. I am humbled by their motivation and courage. Mary Ann Meyer, Assistant Principal. More information about ethical purchasing can be found on the UEN website. Student Leadership Conference 2016 JUNE Where: The Ursuline School, New Rochelle Information has been sent to the schools Registration deadline: June 3, 2016 We Will Miss You... Words of appreciation and good wishes for the future were expressed over and over as the Ursuline Education Network Board of Trustees said goodbye to members completing their board service at its meeting in March. The outgoing members are Rosann Whiting, President of Ursuline Academy, Dedham, MA; Pam Mueller, OSU, Campus Minister at Brescia University, Owensboro, KY; Kim Harper DiMarco, Elementary School Principal at Ursuline Academy, New Orleans, LA; Dennis Maas, Social Studies Teacher at St. Ursula Academy, Toledo; Erin Zubal, OSU, Cleveland Ursuline. Mimi Bishop resigned earlier since she was leaving Ursuline of Dallas, where she had served as Director of the Annual Fund. Each of these Ursuline educators contributed a unique dimension to the board and will be missed. Rosann brought a future planning perspective to the board s discussions, always encouraging the group to see an issue from beyond just the immediate effect. Pam excelled as our secretary and produced accurate minutes of our meetings, which was no small accomplishment. Kim s experience as an elementary principal added a dimension that was extremely valuable since UEN serves elementary as well as high schools. Dennis was the lone male on the Board for several years. Besides traveling to board meetings and even our global conference on his motorcycle, Dennis also distinguished himself asking pertinent questions that led the board to examine the issue at hand carefully before making a decision. Erin had joined the board as Athletic Director at Beaumont School. This past year she assumed a new role as principal of a parish elementary school in Cleveland. As a board member, Erin brought an ability to use technology to advance the mission of UEN. Mimi was always willing to serve the board in many different capacities, offering her skills as a writer and chairing more than one committee simultaneously. Build community wherever you go, St. Angela advised her followers. These board members did just that by being a group of colleagues who enjoyed each other s company and shared a common dedication to promoting Ursuline education. UEN is a stronger organization because of their service on the Board. Sr. Pam in reflecting on her six years as a board member, said this about Ursuline Education Network, insieme as St. Angela would say: A united network bound by a shared common vision and purpose living St. Angela s advice. Be bound, one to another, in the bonds of charity.