Welcome, SMA Alumnae!

Whether you attended St. Mary’s Academy for one year or you’re a “lifer,” you’re part of our legacy and you’ll always be part of our family. We welcome you to come back to campus and visit anytime. We also hope you’ll stay connected to your classmates, teachers, advisors, coaches, and the school.

St. Mary’s Academy alumnae represent an active, generous and global group. We engage in many aspects of SMA life — through volunteering, event participation, social networks, financial support, and, of course, with much joy at annual reunion weekends.

You can connect as well through our SMA Alumnae Connection networking site. See below for more information!

Thank you for being a part of our SMA community!

SMA's Alumnae Networking Website

Join your fellow SMA Alumnae on the SMA Alumnae Connection. Network with those in your field, find alumnae in your area, learn about upcoming events, post job opportunities, and reconnect with old friends!

Use THIS LINK to visit the website. If you do not have an account, click "sign up" at the bottom of the login area.

We look forward to seeing you there!

SMA News

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"Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory" Charms Sold out Crowds

Mar 13 2024

"Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory" Charms Sold out Crowds

This year's All-Academy musical, “Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory,” delighted audiences with a double dose of sweetness, as two casts took the stage over four magical performances. Brimming with talented young performers, each show brought Roald Dahl’s enchanting world to life, leaving sold-out crowds spellbound. The production team worked on all four shows! Great job!

Congratulations to our stellar students whose hard work and dedication made this production such a success:

Production Team

Stage manager/sound operator - Bea Hunt (Grade 11)
Lighting operator/booth manager - Abbi Garcia (Grade 11)
Booth crew - Morgan J. (Grade 8) and Lorna Millradt (Grade 10)
Student production assistant - Maya Khandelwal (Grade 9)
Box office/concessions - Eliana Rothman (Grade 12) and Ally Burman (Grade 12)
Costume/makeup hair lead - Fin Gillespie (Grade 10)
Costume/makeup/hair crew - Maya Khandelwal, Katie Frasier (Grade 10), and Marahi Diaz (Grade 12)
Special effects - Jasmine Seeber (Grade 11)
Stage right run leads - Violet Higgins (Grade 11) and Averie Young (Grade 11)
Set construction, dressing/run crew - Abbi Garcia, Morgan J., Lorna Millradt, Eliana Rothman, Ally Burman, Maya Khandelwal, Jasmine Seeber, Violet Higgins, Averie Young, Declan K. (Grade 8), Gabby Smith (Grade 11), Theodora Mechem (Grade 10), Josie Hayward (Grade 12), Pascale Drake (Grade 11), Paige Wysong (Grade 11), Joelly C. (Grade 8), Salem Winterling (Grade 12), Samantha Engleby (Grade 11), and Greta Toler (Grade 10)
Social media team - Gabby Smith, Josie Hayward, Violet Higgins

Cast

Willy Wonka - Helen Reichert (Grade 12) and Mia Perry (Grade 10)
Oompa Loompas - Ximena R. (Grade 6), Alexandra Harrington (Grade 10), Sadie W. (Grade 7), Lily R. (Grade 7), Scarlett N. (Grade 8), and Theodora Mechem
Mini Oompa Loompas - Olivia L. (Grade 5), Maggie D. (Grade 5), Kennedy F. (Grade 5), and Brynn P. (Grade 5)
Grandpa George - Whitney R. (Grade 6) and Claire M. (Grade 8)
Grandma Georgina - Kaitlin B. (Grade 7) and Eva E. (Grade 7)
Grandpa Joe - Frances Rechtin (Grade 10) and Emilia Vernet (Grade 11)
Grandma Josephine - Catherine Riopelle (Grade 9) and Izabella I. (Grade 7)
Mr. Bucket - Geneva Bergmann (Grade 9) and Genevieve Korell (Grade 9)
Mrs. Bucket - Margaret Bingham (Grade 9)
Charlie Bucket - Cameron J. (Grade 6) and Ella Cho (Grade 9)
Jay - Nell R. (Grade 3) and Conner H. (Kindergarten)
Matilda - Annika A. (Grade 4) and Emerson A. (Grade 2)
Candyman Kid Dancers/Wonka Squirrels - Sylvia H. (Grade 4), Hannah S. (Grade 4), Neph L. (Grade 3), William O. (Kindergarten), Kyler A. (Kindergarten), Edith H. (Grade 4), Annabelle P. (Grade 3), Addie R. (Grade 1), and Connor M. (Grade 2)
Candy Man - Alexandra Harrington and Heesoo Kim
Candyman Kids, Bubbles, Candy Lollipops, Peppermints, and Wonka Bars - Amelia B. (Grade 3), Alex P. (Grade 3), Estelle S. (Kindergarten), Ethan B. (Grade 4), Kahlan K. (Kindergarten), Beatrix L. (Kindergarten), and Ruth H. (Grade 2)
Phineas Trout - Juniper S. (Grade 8) and Lucy H. (Grade 7)
Mrs. Gloop - Thya Galindo (Grade 12) and Catherine Ream (Grade 10)
Augusta/Augustus Gloop - Liam G. (Grade 7) and Paxton M. (Grade 7)
Candyman Vendors/Chorus of Cooks - Izzy M. (Grade 6), Samantha C. (Grade 8), Hal H. (Grade 7), and Ana Esteve (Grade 10)
Mr. Salt - Freya M. (Grade 7)
Veruca Salt - Gracie A. (Grade 7) and Julia K. (Grade 8)
Violet Beauregarde - Estella Rose G. (Grade 8) and Frankie H. (Grade 6)
Mrs. Beauregarde - Susannah Cowan (Grade 9) and Gretta Smith (Grade 11)
Mike/Mikayla “Mike” Teavee - Tristan C. (Grade 4) and Penny M. (Grade 8)
Mrs. Teavee - Claire Y. (Grade 7) and Claire P. (Grade 8)

Thank you to Kelley Zinge, director of the show; Jack McHugh and Aimee Faulker, for serving as musical directors; Geoff McVie for serving as a musician, and Sarah Duffy for her phenomenal set dressing artistry.

A special thank you to our incredible parent/guardian volunteers.

Service Learning

Middle School Service Days: Creating and Impact in the Local Community

Feb 28 2024

Grade 7 faculty and students recently set out to lend their time, energy, and skills to nonprofit organizations, each with a unique mission focused on our community. The six Community Action Teams (CATs) supported disadvantaged youth and older adults, advocated for animal welfare, and promoted environmental sustainability. These projects exemplify collective service's impact on our students, faculty, and those they serve.

A Little Help connects volunteer-based services with older adults, enabling them to enjoy their golden years at home. Dane Tuck organized his students to cook a wholesome pasta salad and then delivered it to ten residences in the area.

Angelica Village serves as an intentional community of refugees and immigrants who have experienced homelessness or unstable living conditions. Each individual within the community is committed to assisting one another in their day-to-day living and fostering each other's potential. Joshua Valin and his student volunteers aided the community in revitalizing their sunflower field. They eliminated overgrowth and unwanted weeds. Mr. Valin reflected, “These trips ask the students to visit new places within their wider community and get them to see how these agencies and organizations support the people and animals who live all around them. It also asks the students to engage in these supports in a way that they realize that even the small contributions they make on those days can ultimately have a much larger impact.”

ARC Thrift Stores’ myriad goals include employing individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities and utilizing donations to foster a greener community. Students and Terri Otto sorted through over a dozen large cardboard boxes filled with Easter decorations, baskets, and crafts. They worked together, looking for items that could be bundled into gallon-sie bags and tagged for the employees to price. Their service deepened their understanding of a social enterprise's daily operations and complexities that focus on community upliftment and environmental sustainability. This marks the group’s second volunteering session at ARC. On both occasions, they’ve embraced the profound sentiment conveyed by the employees: a profound sense of pride and joy in having a workplace where they can make friends and feel valued.

Highline Place Memory Care Community, specializing in dementia and Alzheimer's care, had students from Terrye Easton's CAT who engaged in activities like art, bingo, and trivia games and provided companionship to the residents. Despite the challenges posed of dementia and Alzheimer's, the students made meaningful connections. Mr. Easton reflected, “ The students feel a sense of quiet satisfaction, knowing that they have positively impacted someone's world, if only for a short time.”

Luvin Arms is an animal sanctuary for abused or neglected farm animals, including cows, pigs, turkeys, chickens, horses, goats, donkeys, sheep, and ducks. Jeff Jewett and his students undertook several tasks at the sanctuary. They cleaned stables, provided food to the animals, organized blanket storage, and carried out essential upkeep. The sanctuary upholds a strong commitment to animal welfare. During their time there, students saw a unique celebration of a pig’s birthday, complete with a watermelon treat.

Movement 5280 serves as a "family of support" network for young individuals at risk and those experiencing homelessness. Students with Sara Barton, assisted by Kyle Berg, contributed to their mission by baking brownies, cleaning the dining room and toys, sorting clothes, making snack bags, and helping decorate for a food bank party. One unforgettable moment was a powerful testament shared by a single mother who had found a haven in Movement 5280 while living under a bridge. She discovered a community of individuals who had endured through similar trials and tribulations, where she could find compassion and understanding.

SMA Head of School Iswari Natarajan Named a Top Woman Leader in Colorado

Feb 15 2024

Iswari Natarajan, St. Mary’s Academy President & Head of School, has been chosen by Women We Admire as one of Colorado’s Top 50 Women Leaders for 2024. This is the second consecutive year she has received this recognition.

Iswari's passion for education and impactful work at St. Mary’s Academy have positioned her as an innovator in education for children from Preschool through Grade 12. Being named among the Top 50 Women Leaders in Colorado reflects her exceptional leadership abilities and SMA’s significant accomplishments under her tenure. This accolade celebrates women who have made remarkable strides in their areas of expertise, and Iswari truly embodies what it means to be a deserving awardee.

"I am incredibly proud that Iswari has been recognized for her leadership. Her unwavering dedication to excellence in education, her initiatives aimed at fostering belonging and empowering young minds, and her remarkable ability to inspire staff and students alike have elevated SMA and set a benchmark in education leadership,” said Susan Lintonsmith ‘83, Vice-Chair of SMA Board of Trustees. “We are fortunate to have such a visionary guiding our future generations."

Iswari brings to her leadership position considerable expertise, education, cultural understanding, and a valuable point of view as a female engineer and person of color. She joined SMA in 2012 as a teacher and chair of the mathematics department in the high school and rose through the ranks to become the high school principal in 2018, and assistant head of school and VP of academic affairs in 2022. SMA’s Board of Trustees has unanimously selected her to become the President/Head of School, a position she assumed on July 1, 2023.

SMA is immensely proud of Iswari’s achievements. Her recognition as one of the Top 50 Women Leaders of Colorado for 2024 reflects her remarkable accomplishments and embodiment of our Loretto School Values. She continues to build a school environment that encourages excellence, collaboration, communication, and a powerful sense of community.

Iswari holds a BE in electrical and electronics engineering from the Birla Institute of Technology and Science in India and an MS in engineering from the University of Maryland. She also holds a diploma in educational leadership and administration from Montessori Casa International. She is the recipient of a 2015 Outstanding Educator/Mentor Award from Stanford University, a 2017 Outstanding Colorado Educator Award from CU Boulder, and a 2022 Outstanding Educator and Teacher of Influence Award from Carleton College. In 2018, IBM recognized Iswari as a Global Women Leader and invited her to present a keynote about leadership. She has been featured in numerous articles for her work in STEM education and presented at the National Coalition of Girls’ Schools Global Forum and Advanced Placement conferences.

Congratulations, Iswari, on this well-deserved recognition!