Ursuline Academy of Dallas

The summer is flying by, and campers are having too much fun at UA+ Summer Programs!

Week 1 Photos: https://flic.kr/s/aHBqjBuPWq
Week 2 Photos: https://flic.kr/s/aHBqjBv7H1
Week 3 Photos: https://flic.kr/s/aHBqjBwNkD

Sign up for the last three weeks of summer camps: www.ursulinedallas.org/the-ursuline-experience/uaplus/summer-camps

Happy Father's Day to all UA Dads!

View more photos from this spring's Dad/Daughter Service Project: https://flic.kr/s/aHBqjBfYdL

One last stroll down memory lane to graduation day! Read an excerpt from Salutatorian Madeline's speech:

"As we celebrate the rich history of our beloved school, let us not overlook our own accomplishments. We are 228 young women, we are composed of singers, dancers, athletes, scholars, and more, but most importantly, we are servants. Over these past 4 years, we have grown through triumph, grown through failure, but most importantly, grown through solidarity. Today, we stand before you, all 228 of us, and speak together with one voice.

The past four years have flown by, filled with highs and lows, and countless moments in-between. We’ve learned that success is not solely about grades, performance on the field, or superlatives, but about personal and spiritual growth and the connections we’ve made throughout our community and beyond. It’s about those late-night McDonald’s door dash deliveries during community days. After all, nothing says solidarity like sharing a McFlurry at midnight."

Read more: https://bit.ly/graduationspeeches2024

View more Class of 2024 graduation photos: https://flic.kr/s/aHBqjBtRLZ

Congratulations to Jocelyn Holmes (Art teacher), this year's Hal and Joann Tehan Award Recipient, and Olivia Ide (Social Studies teacher), Teacher of the Year.

"I cherish the relationships I cultivate with my students," said Jocelyn. "Witnessing their artistic journeys and subsequent achievements in various art professions is the ultimate reward."

Olivia's favorite part about being a teacher at Ursuline is the students and her colleagues.

"I know everyone says that, but everyone is right!" she said. "We have such wonderful students who are kind, funny, and curious and my colleagues are so talented and interesting."

Read more about Jocelyn and Olivia as well as view UA Employee Years of Service Milestones: https://bit.ly/2024teacherawards.

Finally, best wishes to the following UA employees who are retiring:

- Valerie Oates, Director of Communications
- Tammy Yung, Math teacher
- Teri Uber, Executive Assistant to the President
- Maria Fernandez, Facilities
- Juanita Fernandez, Facilities

We are still on cloud nine from graduation day! Read an excerpt from Valedictorian Molly's speech:

"We don't need a prophet to tell us that additional chaos lies in the future, chaos more complicated and difficult to manage than fire drills. But this premonition does not have to come with dreadful anticipation, because our time at Ursuline has taught us to be resilient, to embrace challenges, to navigate chaos with grace.

Equipped with this fortitude, this ability to weather a storm, please, let’s welcome a little chaos as we go out into the world, because sometimes we need to capsize in order to wash up on an unfamiliar new shore that introduces us to fresh interests, passions, and purposes…

In tackling the whirlwind of Ursuline, we have stumbled upon indispensable values and a sisterhood that will last long after our final curtsy. So, Class of 2024, set sail into the tempest; embrace the storm and welcome new destinations."

Read more: https://bit.ly/graduationspeeches2024

Ursuline Academy will be closed today, May 28, due to power outages & weather impact. Updates to come on rescheduled final exams.

Congratulations to Class of 2024 award recipients:

The Valedictorian Award, given to the student with the highest cumulative grade point average, was awarded to Molly N.

The Salutatorian Award, presented to the student with the second highest cumulative grade point average, was awarded to Madeline W.

The Sister Emmanuel Shea Award was presented to Elizabeth J. and Danielle O., and Meredith H. received the Sedes Sapientiae Award, the highest honor conferred by Ursuline Academy at graduation.

🌹

Ursuline Academy of Dallas is pleased to officially present the Class of 2024! 🌹

Ursuline Academy of Dallas Ursuline Academy of Dallas is an independent all girls Catholic college preparatory high school.

It’s almost time!

Catch the Graduation Ceremonies for the Class of 2024 live at www.ursulinedallaslive.org (Channel One) at 6 PM.

The Class of 2024 has been busy getting graduation ready and we can’t wait to see them take their final curtsy this weekend!

A heartfelt THANK YOU to the Ursuline Alumnae Association and The Dads Club for keeping our seniors well-fed during graduation practice.

Catch the Class of 2024 Graduation Ceremonies live this Sunday, May 26, at 6:00 p.m. via UA Live: www.ursulinedallaslive.org (Channel One).

In Case You Missed It:

Thank you to all Ursuline alumnae who celebrated Alumnae Day on Saturday, April 27!

Learn more about the 2024 Alumnae Award Recipients: https://www.ursulinedallas.org/alumnae/alumnae-awards

- Cheryl Unis Mansour '66 (Distinguished Alumna)
- Elizabeth "Libby" Ryan Galvin '75 (Serviam Alumna)
- Dr. Megan Madonna '11 (Young Alumna)
- Sr. Lois Castillon, O.S.U. (Sister Marie Staats Award)

View Alumnae Awards Luncheon photos: https://flic.kr/s/aHBqjBpk88

View Crawfish Boil photos: https://flic.kr/s/aHBqjBoF5Z

We already can't wait for next year! Save the date: May 3, 2025!

Happy Mother's Day to our UA Mama Bears!

View more photos from this year's Mother/Daughter Mass & Brunch: https://flic.kr/s/aHBqjAV9tg.

Please join us in officially welcoming the Class of 2028 to Ursuline!

Last weekend, they donned their UA red and met their new classmates at the New Bear Breakfast.

We can't wait to see you all back on campus next semester!

On the last day of Teacher Appreciation Week, we want to thank ALL Ursuline teachers for supporting and stewarding the Ursuline mission, teaching to the wholeness of each student, and for being educators who model openness, humility, excitement, and curiosity.

And finally, please meet Estela Ayala, Director of C&I:

WHY SHE LOVES TEACHING UA STUDENTS

"Ursuline students are eager to learn and push themselves. I love to see when a student doesn’t believe she can do something in the classroom, and she learns that she could do it all along," she said. "It's amazing to see students find their voice and grow into their own as they develop their confidence. It's also very inspiring to see students who are so dedicated and thoughtful about their work and their routines."

WHAT SHE LOVES ABOUT SUPPORTING COMMUNITY AT UA

"I think it's important to foster and develop authentic relationships," she said. "It is part of our Catholic identity to see and speak of the beauty of God’s creation, serving one another and respecting the dignity of each of our community members. I love that students have the opportunity to develop skills that will equip them to live in a global society with confidence and faith."

HER FAVORITE HOBBY OUTSIDE OF UA

"Outside of Ursuline, I love going to coffee shops, weightlifting, and dancing Salsa and Bachata," she said.

We continue to celebrate Ursuline teachers today and every day. Meet Theology teacher Angie Jakubik.

One activity she enjoys doing with her students is drawing chalk prayer labyrinths, which have been spiritual symbols of pilgrimage for Christians for centuries. Students in her class created them on Ursuline sidewalks, then walked the pathways for a springtime prayer experience.

WHY SHE LOVES TEACHING UA STUDENTS

"My favorite part of teaching Ursuline students is all the wonderful conversations we have, both in and out of the classroom," she said. "Ursuline students share such insightful thoughts, and I love getting to know them and what they’re passionate about in their lives both here at UA and beyond."

WHY SHE LOVES TEACHING THEOLOGY

"My favorite parts of teaching theology are the “a-ha!” moments when a student makes a connection or sees something in a way they have never thought about before," she said. "I also really enjoy seeing students discover ways of praying that really resonate with them, and being comfortable about asking questions that help them reflect and grow in faith."

HER FAVORITE HOBBY OUTSIDE OF UA

"My favorite hobby is cooking and trying new recipes. I especially love Pioneer Woman and am proud of my autographed copy of her very first cookbook!" she said.

Happy last day of school, Class of 2024. See you at graduation! 🌹

St. Angela, watch over the days of their youth. St. Ursula, protect their future.

Today, we introduce Math teacher Tammy Yung for Teacher Appreciation Week. This is her 15th year at Ursuline and she is retiring at the end of the school year.

WHY SHE LOVES TEACHING UA STUDENTS

“I love helping students find their passion for mathematics and problem solving,” she said. “When my students share that they have observed real life applications of our studies, I get excited.”

WHY SHE LOVES TEACHING MATH

“I love teaching math because it helps us make sense of the world. I learn new ways to solve problems every year,” she said. “My students are great teachers, too. It is such a good feeling when you finally master a hard problem. I never want a student to hold back on their dreams for fear of not being able to do the math.”

HER FAVORITE HOBBY OUTSIDE OF UA

“With the nice spring weather we are having, my favorite hobby right now is driving my corvette,” she said. “It is a marvel of engineering ingenuity built here in the USA.”

For the 6th year in a row, the Golfing Bears are STATE CHAMPS! They also shot a team career low of 292.

Individual results:
1st: Sonia ‘24
3rd: Berkeley ‘24
4th: Bella ‘25
5th: Heidi ‘26
10th: Chloe ‘25

GO BEARS! ⛳️🐻❤️

Teacher Appreciation Week continues! Meet Jimmy Watson, English teacher:

WHY HE LOVES TEACHING UA STUDENTS

“What I love most about teaching Ursuline students is the community that we have in the classroom,” he said. “There is a certain type of comfort here that is hard to find anywhere else.”

WHY HE LOVES TEACHING ENGLISH

“It allows us to step outside of just literature and writing in order to ask questions about the world that we live in,” he said. “I love teaching English because it is a reflection of the daily lives that we live and hopefully can give us some insight into how to be a positive force for good!”

HIS FAVORITE HOBBY OUTSIDE OF UA

“I love to play golf, read, and watch movies,” he said.

Happy Teacher Appreciation Week! To celebrate, we will be introducing some of UA’s teachers all week long.

Meet Olivia Ide, Social Studies teacher:

WHY SHE LOVES TEACHING UA STUDENTS

“You all are kind, funny, and interested in learning,” she said. “I have so much fun with my students in class.”

WHY SHE LOVES TEACHING U.S. HISTORY

“I love discovering the cause-and-effect connections,” she said. “It is all connected! And particularly with AP U.S. History - because it is so challenging - I find that there are many opportunities to teach life skills like resiliency, perseverance, independence, and patience.”

HER FAVORITE HOBBY OUTSIDE OF UA

“I love running. It makes me feel healthy and proud of myself,” she said. “I also think it sets a good example for my kids to be active and take the time to take care of themselves. I am doing my first marathon this month – I am very nervous and excited!”

Ursuline’s annual Art Exhibit commenced on April 22, with dozens of art pieces on display in the Popolo Gallery through May 10. And last night, the Visual Arts Department held their Art Award Ceremony.

The Art Exhibit is a cumulative end-of-year event designed to allow UA Art students the opportunity to share their works.

For many, the creation of their art piece was an outward expression of their emotions. For others, it was an opportunity to create as a means of self-discovery.

UA Art student Gabriela ‘24 offers this advice to younger art students:

“Explore why you love what you do, whether it’s the subject matter, the material, or the message,” she said. “I feel like you learn a lot about yourself by investigating the relationship between yourself and your art.”

Read more: https://bit.ly/artexhibit2024

🎨🖌️🖼️

Today, the Class of 2024 celebrated their last all-school Mass. Following Mass, they were officially inducted into the Ursuline Alumnae Association.

Don’t forget: We all need someone to lean on, so don’t be afraid to call on a friend when you need a hand. 🎶 ♥️

Almost graduation ready. We are going to miss the Class of 2024! 🥹🎓♥️

Come back to where it all began!

We LOVE having Ursuline alumnae on campus and can't wait to welcome you all this Saturday, April 27, for Alumnae Day!

While the Alumnae Luncheon & Celebration is sold out, there is still time to sign up for a Campus Tour and the Crawfish Boil.

Register: https://www.ursulinedallas.org/alumnaeday

We can't wait to see you there!

CONGRATULATIONS to back-to-back State Champs: the Tennis Bears! 🎾🏆

And big congrats as well to:

- Singles State Champion: Erin ‘27
- Doubles State Champions: Tess ‘24 and Reagan ‘24
- State Semifinalist: Coco '26

GO BEARS!

What have UA students been up to lately!?

♥️ The N**i Germany class welcomed guest speaker, Walter Levy, whose family escaped N**i Germany in 1938. He shared about his experience growing up during this time.

🎥 Tess ‘24, Track & Field and Cross Country, was WFAA’s Scholar Athlete of the Week last week.

♥️ Sophia ‘25 and Amanda ‘25 received Ursuline Education Network (UEN) awards for their service to the community.

🐻 Four Ursuline Academy of Dallas students in the Service-Learning class, Markley ‘24, Zia ‘24, Corinne ‘24, and Laura ‘25, researched the UN Sustainability Goal #2, Zero Hunger, to create projects revolving around the redistribution of food waste in and around the Ursuline community.

✏️ Students attended the Women’s Leadership Luncheon covering the topic, “Women as Peacemakers.” The Keynote Speaker was Allenna Bangs ‘00, Deputy Criminal Division Chief of Tarrant County District Attorney’s Office.

🎨 Spanish III Honors classes learned about Spanish Art, so they visited the Meadows Museum at Southern Methodist University to see the Spanish Art Exhibit.

Last night, the Class of 2025 received their Junior Rings.

The Ursuline Ring carries images which reflect virtue and the high ideals of an Ursuline education.

It is the ring worn by alumnae of Ursuline Academy of Dallas from many years past, thereby uniting the Class of 2025 with yesterday’s graduates.

Each year during the Junior Ring Ceremony, a student is also presented with the Allyson Bohannon Goldman ’07 Serviam Award for their volunteer service and community contributions. This year’s recipient was Cora ‘25. Congratulations, Cora!

Wear your ring proudly, Class of 2025! Let your actions speak of your appreciation for all that it symbolizes. ♥️