2024 Career Symposium

Remi Jones and Aleksandra Azbel in attendance

At Sophia Academy’s third annual Career Symposium, our students and alumni spent a full-day with an extraordinarily diverse group of women who visited our school. Veterinarians, architects, small business owners, engineers, medical professionals, realtors, journalists, government professionals, and others– women of color–shared their inspiring stories that reflected their own wisdom and exemplified how Sophia students and alumnae can create their own herstory. 

The morning began with two panel sessions. With a fun and interactive twist, everyone used small whiteboards to write their answers to questions throughout both sessions. In session one, students remained with their classmates and assigned alumnae. Panelists joined students to form one big circle, creating a warm and open environment where everyone could feel safe, seen, and heard. In session two, students and alumnae divided into smaller circles for an in-depth career discussion based on the students’ interests.

Both sessions began with an introductory ice breaker activity, followed by panelists' introductions, an interactive game, and a student-led Q&A. Some of the student’s prepared questions included: Is your current job or career what you expected to be doing when you were in middle school? Are there things about your background, your race, or your gender that cause people to assume things about you? Do you have any advice for how we can start preparing for our futures now? 

In the afternoon, five panelists hosted five different workshops for students and alumnae where they engaged in hands-on, career related tasks. The workshop were How To Make Money With Ugly Homes with Claudia Ramirez, Ready, Set, Action! with Diana Murton, Public Speaking with Shawndell Burney-Speaks, Exploring Your Identity with Sara Monteiro, and Forces of Fight with Kerri Kottman. 

In their post-event reflection prompt activity of head- What did you learn today?, heart- What and how do you feel today?, and feet- What lesson did you learn that you will use in the future?, students and alumni wrote on sticky notes:

Head

Heart

Feet

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2024 Panelists

Comfort Ateh

Aleksandra Azbel

Naiommy Baret

Asia Bourget

Shawndell Burney-Speaks

Genifer Bustamante

Rachel Gomes

Fallon Jean-Gilles Davis

Bailey Jenkins

Remi Jones

Kerri Kottman

Ashely Lakin

Melissa A. Long

Cathy Lund

Rebecca McGrath

Sara Monteiro

Diana Murton

Nicolette Naya

Jerika Paz

Claudia Ramirez

Courtney Rebensdorf

Anaridis Rodriguez

Christine West

Meet Our New Staff!

We are delighted to extend a warm Sophia welcome to several new colleagues in administrative roles at Sophia Academy: Miche Fontes, Marleni Suazo, and Angie Duran. One name–Angelia  (Angie) Duran–is likely familiar to you; she served as the Director of Enrollment and Guidance for the past four years and now is moving into a new role as Director of Development and External Affairs at Sophia. Miche Fontes is our new Dean of Students, and Marleni Suazo is moving into the role of Director of Enrollment and Guidance. 

From left to right, Miche, Angie, and Marleni.

Michele Fontes, Dean of Students

Miche'le L. Fontes or, as she likes to go by, Miche, is entering her first year as the new Dean of Students at Sophia Academy. Miche holds a Master's in Urban Teaching from Providence College and a Bachelor's degree in Organizational Leadership and Change from College Unbound. Ending up at Sophia Academy was a combination of hard work and sacrifice, strong community connection, and a little bit of magic and divine alignment. Being the parent of a current 8th grade girl who has attended Sophia Academy going on 3 years, she has had the opportunity to be a part of and fall in love with this community. In fact, her focus on restorative practices, trauma informed education, and cultural competency makes her a perfect match for her new role at Sophia and have allowed her to transition flawlessly into the role. Miche brings years of deep community involvement to the role from her experience coaching youth sports for the West Elmwood Intruders to managing arts programs through AS220 Youth to leading family and community engagement at Nowell Academy. 

Miche has developed a unique approach to building relationships and school culture focusing on positive reinforcement, healthy competition, and play in the classroom. Her focus this school year is observing what exists, sustaining what helps students thrive, and creating, alongside the community, new programming moving forward. By embedding a restorative approach to building community and growing youth and care centered practices at Sophia Academy, she feels excited for what is to come.

Her children, Kam’Ryn and Kassidy, and her mother, Cathleen, are the solid foundation on which she stands. She draws strength from them and her beloved ancestors. At the core of her being she is an aspiring beam of light.  Aspiring to be a beam of light comes from her own journey with challenges and adversity. She found beams of light in coaches, mentors, teachers, and family within her community who helped guide her, helped raise her children, and showed her the way in dark times. One adage she has come to understand well is that “it takes a village to raise a child”; a village to support, love, and encourage you as well as one that will correct, redirect, and grow you. Anti-racism, restorative practice, and trauma informed education are the pillars she rests her educational practice on. Love, community, and grace are the ones she rests herself on. 

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Angelia Duran, Director of Development and External Affairs

Angelia (Angie) Duran is a proud Latina whose family immigrated to Rhode Island from the Dominican Republic over 30 years ago. She was born and raised in South Providence. She attributes her leadership skills to her strong-willed mother, Josefina, who raised her and her two siblings against all odds. She has a 13 year old daughter, Jaslene, who is a current 8th grader at Sophia Academy. 

Angie always had the dream of having a career where she could help others. She is passionate about creating programs and systems that provide equitable access to resources. She graduated cum laude with a Bachelor’s Degree in Social Work from Rhode Island College (RIC) in 2014. She then obtained her Master’s degree in Social Work from RIC in 2019 with a focus on macro concentration social work and nonprofit leadership. She is the 2019 recipient of the National Association of Social Worker’s Promising Practitioner in Macro Concentration Award for the Rhode Island Chapter. 

Currently, Angie is the Director of Development and External Affairs at Sophia Academy. She dedicates her time working towards the continued financial sustainability of the school and creating a platform that elevates the mission of the school. Her goal is to open up amazing opportunities to empower Sophia students. She currently serves on two boards: Interim Board Chair at Montessori Community School of Rhode Island and board member for The Heart Tree Rhode Island. She believes in the importance of giving back and feels blessed to be able to have multiple platforms to stand up for human rights and create equitable systems.

In her free time, she loves dancing bachata, event planning, and spending quality time with family and friends.

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Marleni Suazo, Director of Enrollment and Guidance

Marleni Suazo is the new Director of Enrollment and Guidance at Sophia Academy. This is her first exciting year working at Sophia. Prior to joining the Sophia Academy community, Marleni worked at Young Voices RI located in the heart of Providence from 2017-2023 where she first served as Multilingual Program Coordinator Intern and then moved into a full-time position as Program Coordinator. In her previous role she worked with high school students to help them find their voice and create policy change at the state and district level. Marleni's passion for social justice and for connecting with the greater Providence community led her to a partnership with Sophia: she worked with the previous Director of Enrollment and Guidance to create a pipeline for graduating Sophia students to enroll in a six week paid summer workforce program before heading to high school. 

Marleni graduated from Rhode Island College with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Youth Development and a concentration in Youth and Families Mental Health and a certificate in Nonprofit Studies. She is a proud Providence native and has deep roots in her Dominican culture. If you need some insight on where to get the best food, she is your go-to person!

Marleni is so excited to be part of the Sophia Academy family and share her enthusiasm with students, their families and her fellow faculty and staff.  In her new role, she will be overseeing the enrollment process to Sophia, providing high school guidance and graduate support, and shepherding the mentor program

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Farewell, Dear Sophia

Sophia Academy 2023 graduation was, as always, a joyous, monumental milestone for our eighth grade class. I was spellbound listening to the unique appreciations expressed by the faculty and staff to each member of the class—they revealed and reinforced the strong bonds among students and teachers, and the special character and personality of each graduate. These are resilient and determined young women, and they have taught us as much as we have taught them.

Each Sophia student’s or graduate’s journey is more than just her own story. It’s one chapter in a collective narrative that binds the Sophia Academy community together. As eighth grader Evelyn Tillman said in her introduction of YSANEL Torres, a 2011 graduate and one or our 2023 Women of Wisdom, “The Sophia sisterhood is a bond that cannot be broken.”

We are a small and mighty community of students, families, faculty and staff, graduates, board members, mentors, volunteers, and donors. We’ve done a tremendous amount of work over the past five years—navigating through the pandemic, building our financial sustainability, and strengthening our social justice foundation. Each and every person’s commitment to the Sophia mission reverberates through our story: Sophia Academy is a place where one can make a profound difference. And for that reason, I believe Sophia Academy will continue to thrive and to draw forth the wisdom of many generations of girls as they forge a pathway to their dreams.

As I conclude my final reflection as your Head of School, I want to express my deep gratitude and admiration. Serving with you for these five years has been the highlight of my career and a highlight of my life. Thank you, and farewell!

-Maura Farrell, Head of School 2018-2023

Linking Students with Music

Congratulations to Sophia Academy sixth grader Inallys Salcedo. Her original composition was chosen by Principal Horn of the Rhode Island Philharmonic, Kevin Owen, for his new arrangement of Vivaldi’s La Follia, commissioned by the Philharmonic as part of the Music School’s partnership with Link-Up, a nationwide program in which local orchestras develop a concert that students learn on recorder and voice throughout the school year. At the end of the year, students attend the concert and play along with the orchestra live from their seats. Inallys's composition was one of eight individual student pieces chosen for inclusion in the concert.

First Place at MindBlast XR Hackathon!

Screenshot from Sophia Academy's 2023 Hackathon entry

Sophia Academy’s team took first place at the MindBlast XR 2023 Hackathon sponsored by Winners Circle, a non-profit whose mission is to empower students in marginalized communities through access to cutting-edge technology and rigorous educational programs. Sophia fielded the only all-girl team in the competition and dedicated their April break to preparing for 2-3 hours a day. With the guidance of former trustee and Sophia dad Kobi Dennis, they researched a pressing social justice issue—poverty, food insecurity, and poor nutrition. They then collaborated with industry professional mentor Anthony Favorito to design a Virtual Reality project addressing this issue.

Juan Rodriguez, Winners Circle’s Executive Director, wrote: “We would like to extend our gratitude for giving us the opportunity to work with the exceptional students at Sophia Academy. Their passion, creativity, and commitment to making a difference in the world truly inspire us.”

Congratulations to the Class of 2023!

On June 8th, we joyfully celebrated the class of 2023. Throughout their time at Sophia, these resilient young women have met challenges with grace and wisdom, and embraced opportunities with vigor. We are so proud of our new graduates!

The class of 2023 is off to great college preparatory and career tech high schools including Classical High School, Charette, Cranston High School East, Cranston High School West, Cumberland High School, The Lincoln School, St. Andrews School, and The Met. The Class of 2023 was offered nearly $200,000 in high school scholarship support.

The last week of school was filled with fun, love, and leadership at our traditional events: the eighth grade family potluck where the graduating class paid tribute to one another with heartwarming speeches that revealed and reinforced their sisterhood. Graduation rehearsal was followed by a relaxing trip to Oakland Beach. At their closing ritual, they paid tribute to each member of the faculty and staff, and listened to fond messages of farewell from the 5th, 6th, and 7th graders.

As our graduates move to high school, and our 5th, 6th, and 7th graders move up to make room for the incoming 5th grade class in the fall, we express our gratitude to our essential donors, dedicated families, generous volunteers, and talented faculty and staff, and community partners who walk alongside our students and keep Sophia Academy’s mission strong.

¡Buena suerte a la Clase de 2023!

The Civil Rights Trip Returns to Sophia

At the National Center for Civil and Human Rights, eighth graders took part in a re-creation of a 1960s sit-in. They sat at lunch counters, hands flat on the countertop, eyes closed as the stools shook and headphones played recorded threats. Later, many eighth graders highlighted the sit-in as an eye-opening experience. For a few minutes, they were able to experience history as it happened.

The Civil Rights trip is the culminating event of four years at Sophia Academy. In this four-day trip, eighth graders tour the Deep South and meet with activists to learn about this defining moment in U.S. history. This year, the eighth grade was accompanied by Mrs. Moniz, Ms. DePalo, and Ms. Ana Ceballos. Throughout their four days in Georgia and Alabama, eighth graders toured such Civil Rights touchstones as Martin Luther King, Jr.'s childhood home and the Tuskegee Airmen Museum. They crossed the Edmund Pettus bridge together. They learned about the ongoing struggle for human rights at the National Center for Civil and Human Rights.

When they returned, the eighth grade class made presentations to share what they learned. For many, the Civil Rights Trip was a look through a window into a lived reality: “My favorite part was getting the opportunity to talk to Mr. Charles,” said Kiara Remigio-Kingsley, referring to the guide who joined the Class of 2023. “I learned a lot more about history…the Internet tells you a lot, but you need someone with experience to explain what really happened.”Mrs. Moniz echoed Kiara’s observation: “Especially with history…it’s hard for students to understand its impact, and so the trip allows for students to walk and live it to some extent, so that they’re able to connect with it and really visualize the history we’re talking about.”

The Civil Rights Movement was a seminal moment that reverberated through the country. As years go by, fewer of the courageous activists of the time will be here to share their stories. It’s more important than ever for young people to experience this trip and learn firsthand what the movement was about, the sacrifices that were made, and the impact of the movement on their own lives.

Arts Intensive Week at Sophia

During the week before our spring break, regular classes were suspended as we reintroduced Arts Intensive week. Five artists—Filipa Estrela, Brandon Contreras, Oliver Arias, Ysanel Torres (our Woman of Wisdom and Sophia alum!), and Damont Combs—spent the week with us. Each student participated in one workshop for a deep and intensive experience with a genre: Public Art, Spoken Word, Dance, Zines & Cartooning, and Film/Video. A culminating showcase was a jubilant celebration of our students’ passion and creative expression. Thanks go to our art teacher, Lynne DeBeer, for ensuring all of the artists were people of color from the surrounding community. They were fantastic and joyful teachers who truly inspired the girls.

WOW! What a Night!

We were proud to hold the Women of Wisdom Celebration 2023, honoring Barbara Papitto and YSANEL Torres as this year's Women of Wisdom. Hundreds of people turned out for this joyful, heartwarming celebration of the Sophia Academy Mission and our school's loving, generous community.

Thanks to Kim Kalunian and Ted Nesi of WPRI, our fabulous event hosts, and all of the sponsors, volunteers, and committee members who made this evening so special.

6th Grade Visits RISD Museum

The sixth grade has been creating masks in art class and recently took a field trip to the RISD Museum to explore exhibits highlighting different uses of masks throughout history and cultures. The students thoroughly enjoyed themselves as they got to learn about textiles and materials used around the world to create these beautiful pieces of art!

The galleries brought students through many historical moments, including an Ancient Egypt exhibit that held items from 2,300 years ago, Indigenous tribes in our modern history, and even artists from the local area within the past two years. During this trip, our tour guide, Marani, was intentional with her lessons for Sophia students. Students had fun drawing the animals they saw in the galleries and made clay masks together while analyzing an art piece by RISD student Rose B. Simpson.

2023 Career Symposium

Lt. Gov. Sabina Matos in attendance

At Sophia Academy’s second annual Career Symposium, our students spent half a day with a diverse group of women who visited our school. We were especially honored to welcome Lt. Governor Sabina Matos and Sophia alumna and public artist YSANEL. Medical professionals, attorneys, professors, judges, government leaders, police officers, fire fighters, event planners, journalists, and others—mostly women of color—demonstrated with their stories that our students have the inherent talent and wisdom to follow any pathway they choose.

The morning began with an introductory activity “ice breaker,” then panel discussions facilitated by Sophia eighth graders. Students and guests moved into small discussion groups, diving into deeper conversation. The morning's questions were pre-written by our 8th grade ambassadors and included: How did you learn about your current career? How do you deal with people who look at you and jump to conclusions about what you are capable of? Through your hardships, what keeps you going as a leader? What advice did your mentors give you to become who you are today? 

In their post-event reflections, students wrote:   

The most valuable part of this event was seeing how passionate these women were towards their job and their advice for us, because they made me realize the opportunities I have…  

One of the most valuable parts was learning about each of the careers. The second thing that was valuable information for me was being one on one with the people to talk to them. The last thing was hearing others’ wonders and things they found interesting…  

This experience was great for me because all the careers were great and got me thinking what I want to do when I’m older. I can be so many things when I’m older. This is the time for me to start thinking about what I am going to do when I’m older…  

2023 Panelists:

Temi-Tope Adeleye, WJAR News Journalist

Judge Melissa DuBose, Associate Judge at RI District Court

Jessica Maxted, Fire Fighter

Aubrie Viera, Dental Hygienist and Assistant Professor at CCRI

Ysanel Torres ’11, Public Artist

Nirva LaFortune, City Councilwoman and Assistant Director at Brown University

Carla C. Moreira, MD, RPVI, Surgeon and Professor at Brown University

Officer Debbie Rosso, Providence Police Officer

Judge Elizabeth Ortiz, Rhode Island Family Court

Margaret Brassard, Small Business Entrepreneur

Lt. Gov. Sabina Matos, Lieutenant Governor of Rhode Island

Officer Dormica Waters, Providence Police Officer

Regina Carter Visits Sophia

Renowned jazz violinist Regina Carter spent a day working with our students and sharing her love of music, and emphasizing to our students that they can pursue any dream or passion they choose, and that when they are willing to immerse themselves in hard work, they will know they have found that passion.

With their voices, recorders, ukuleles, and drums, students and faculty followed Carter’s lead in a blues improvisation and then had the opportunity to ask questions about her music and her life.

Known for exploring the power of music through the voice of the violin, she performs in many styles, including jazz, R&B, Latin, classical, blues, country, pop, and African. A recipient of the MacArthur “genius” award and a Doris Duke Artist Award, Carter is currently attending a residency at the RI Philharmonic. She is also a Grammy Award nominee. Carter started her violin journey at the age of 4, and is deeply inspired by Ella Fitzgerald. Her wide range of experience includes teaching violin in public schools, touring widely, performing at numerous jazz festivals, and making history by being the first nonclassical violinist to play Niccolò Paganini’s Il Cannone (“The Cannon”), the legendary violin built by Giuseppe Guarneri in 1743. 

Sophia students were utterly inspired. What an honor to have such quality time with this incredible musician!

Operation Sisterhood

Sophia Academy students had an awesome day with Olugbemisola Rhuday-Perkovich, author of our all-school summer read Operation Sisterhood. She traveled from her home in New York City for a day that included a school tour with 8th grade ambassadors, reflective literature circles with 5th and 6th graders, and an all-school assembly for Sophia students and mentors.

In addition to writing several children’s books, she has written for various outlets, including PBS Parents, Read Brightly, American Baby, Healthy Kids, and some of her childhood favorite hip hop fanzines. Olugbemisola has worked extensively in youth development and education, and was twice awarded a public service fellowship by the Echoing Green Foundation for her work on a creative arts and literacy project with adolescent girls.

This amazingly prolific author of wonderful fiction and nonfiction books for young people inspired us with her story and her journey, and by candidly answering students' insightful questions, from "How has being a published author changed you as a writer?" to "Is it challenging to be a woman of color in publishing?" to "What does it take to effectively market a book?" The visit was made possible by a grant from Rhode to Success through our partnership with MentorRI. Thank you, Olugbemisola, for joining our sisterhood! We can't wait for you to come back! 

Barbara Papitto and Ysanel Torres, 2023 Women of Wisdom

Sophia Academy is thrilled to celebrate Barbara Papitto (above left) and Ysanel Torres (above right) as our 2023 Women of Wisdom. This honor recognizes women who exemplify Sophia’s social justice mission and core values of courage, responsibility, respect, and peace.  

“With their shared dedication to empowering communities of color in Rhode Island, Barbara and Ysanel are innovators for social justice, and we are delighted and honored to celebrate them,” said Maura Farrell, Head of School. “In very distinctive ways, they light a path for Sophia students and other young people with their lives of passion, service, and advocacy.” 

Barbara and YSANEL will be honored at the Women of Wisdom Celebration event on May 8, 2023, at the WaterFire Arts Center.  They join a group of impressive Women of Wisdom from previous years, including Suzanne Murray, Joan Wernig Sorensen, Anne Szostak, Liz Chace, Suzanne Magaziner, Sister Mary Reilly, Stacey Abrams, Toots Zynsky, and Latsany Lopez.

Please visit the Women of Wisdom Celebration page for event updates and, beginning in April, to purchase tickets.

Barbara is the founder and a trustee of the Papitto Opportunity Connection, (POC) a non-profit private foundation dedicated to listening and working together with Rhode Island’s Black, Indigenous and People of Color (BIPOC) communities to empower and create individual success stories by investing in education, job skills training and entrepreneurial ventures. A core focus of POC’s work is supporting children impacted by systemic racial injustice in Rhode Island. She also founded and leads Read to Succeed, whose mission is to imbue young people with a love of reading, and motivate them to maintain literacy skills over the summer months. Since its establishment in 2008, Read to Succeed has funded $2.2 million in scholarships for young Rhode Islanders. Since Sophia joined Read to Succeed in 2021, Barbara has visited the school many times to deliver the students’ Read to Succeed books and to honor those who complete the program each year. Her generosity, sense of humor, and humility have touched the Sophia community. 

YSANEL, a 2011 Sophia Academy graduate, is an Afro-Caribbean artist who advocates for social justice and gives voice to unsung communities of color—particularly women—through public art, performance, and installations. YSANEL grew up on the South Side of Providence in a community of people from Dominican Republic, where most of her is family is from. “Lucky for me, Providence was (and still is) entirely a melting pot of various diasporas, so I learned arts and culture through both a personal and collaborative lens,” she reflects.  Her career as a public artist started at 16, when she began transforming utility boxes on Providence streets with her project Sound the Alarm on Female Empowerment, portraits of inspirational women. In 2017, the City of Providence awarded her its first Public Art residency. Working with youth and staff at the Madeline Selim-Rogers Recreation Center, YSANEL designed and painted Madeline, a permanent mural at the Rogers center.

This event supports Sophia Academy’s tuition-free program, whose mission is to engage girls from low-income families on a joyful quest for self-discovery and opportunity through a middle school education grounded in social justice. If you are interested in sponsoring the Women of Wisdom Celebration, please email Heidi at hfraitzl@sophia-academy.org to learn more. 

Sophia Academy Announces Marie D. Myers as Next Head of School

SOPHIA ACADEMY ANNOUNCES
MARIE D. MYERS AS NEXT HEAD OF SCHOOL

PROVIDENCE, RI – Sophia Academy, an independent all-girls middle school in Providence (grades 5-8), recently announced Marie D. Myers will be their next head of school, beginning July 1, 2023. She is currently Director of Enrollment Management at Concord Academy in Massachusetts. Myers will be taking the reins from Maura Farrell, who is leaving Sophia after five tremendous years of growth for the school.

Founded in 2001, Sophia Academy’s mission is to engage girls from low income families on a joyful quest for self discovery and opportunity through a middle school education grounded in social justice.

Read the full community announcement here: https://www.sophia-academy.org/hossearch/#december_16

A Joyous Opportunity

Sophia Academy students recently shared a unique opportunity to meet Quinn Mason, a visiting composer at the Rhode Island Philharmonic, engaging in conversation to learn about his journey as a 26-year-old Black composer and conductor.

Now an internationally published and celebrated musician, Mason offered his personal story as a young man of color in the classical music field, and encouraged students to remain humble no matter their level of success. Students and faculty were delighted to be treated to an improvisational piano performance by Mason, at the request of a student. Later, many of the students attended the Philharmonic’s season opening performance that featured Mason’s work, "A Joyous Trilogy."

“It has been an honor to work with Sophia Academy in our multi-year partnership…Music is now a part of the fabric of the Sophia experience…with classes ranging from general music to ethnomusicology to various ensembles. Both Sophia and the RI Philharmonic are committed to removing opportunity gaps for students through excellent programing grounded in social justice, which makes for a special partnership,” said David Beauchesne, Executive Director of the RI Philharmonic Orchestra & Music School.

Sophia Academy students with RI Philharmonic visiting composer Quinn Mason (center).

The Intersection of Environmental and Social Justice

The next time you visit the Roger Williams Park Zoo, be sure to drop a donation of nonperishable food in the new Community Food Pantry installed at the entrance!

As part of the Environmental Justice Academy cofacilitated by Roger Williams Park Zoo & Carousel Village staff and Sophia Academy, and made possible with support from United Way of Rhode Island, last year's seventh grade designed the Food Pantry to combat food insecurity. The finished product was unveiled on November 3.

“…Our class was discussing social and environmental justice. We decided to make a food pantry for everyone. We wanted people to not starve from hunger and make them feel safe in this community,” said eighth grader Peniel Saidon at the ribbon cutting ceremony.

The students created initial designs in four small groups. “Each group made a decision of what the pantry would look like. We had to measure the length, the width and height. Then we all got together and put the design as one, using half of each design and measurement,” explained eighth grader Evelyn Tillman.

This year’s seventh grade will participate in the Environmental Justice Academy as well, and produce their own project on an issue of their choosing.

Pictured left: Science teacher Alyssa Wood, Dean of Students April Samuels, 8th graders Peniel Saidon and Evelyn Tillman, and Meg Archer from the RWP Zoo cut the ceremonial ribbon on the new food pantry (pictured right) installed at Roger Williams Park Zoo.

Read to Succeed: Success!

In Year 2 of Sophia’s partnership with Read to Succeed, all students took part in the summer reading program, and 29 earned a $1,000 college scholarship by reading all of the required six books and passing a comprehension quiz for each.

Each spring, Read to Succeed generously provides Sophia students with six summer reading books each student chooses, and in the fall hosts an awards assembly to recognize students who completed the program. In each of their four years at Sophia, students have the opportunity to earn $1,000, which is invested in the Rhode Island 529 college scholarship program.

"We are incredibly proud of our students for taking this opportunity to not only maintain their reading and comprehension skills over the summer, but also work towards their future college careers. After this year's awards ceremony, the entire school is motivated to keep reading and earning!" said Melissa Moniz, Director of Middle School.

Reach to Succeed was founded by Barbara Papitto and her late husband, Ralph.

Congratulations Read to Succeed Scholars!

Fifth Grade: Arianna, Milanya, Jade, Giulia, Javeria, Eliana, and Jadelynn

Sixth Grade: Herianna, Michaela, Shasta, Mariah, Zinnia, Ahmari, and Maria

Seventh Grade: Kamil, Arlenys, Zion, Ivanna, Alivia, Azmyralda, Jaslene, and Tehillah

Eighth Grade: Kashley, Saige, Kelsy, Nayelys, Aurie, Peniel, and Evelyn

Mondays are for Moving

Every Monday, the seventh-grade classroom is quiet while its 16 usual inhabitants take to the outdoors, hiking throughout Rhode Island with Sophia’s newest educational partner, Movement Education Outdoors (MEO).

Seventh grader Layanna holds a small crab found in the salt marsh

“MEO is a program where you learn history about the land you are on. You get to learn about different types of plants, trees, leaves, and more. We have learned about plants that can make other things; for example, one time we saw a plant that makes root beer, and another plant that smells like lavender,” described seventh grader Kamil Martinez.

Founded to eliminate barriers to access, MEO provides youth of color and limited economic means with programs that encourage them to experience wellness in an outdoor environment, to become mindful stewards of their bodies and environment, and to be leaders for justice in their communities.

Social studies teacher and seventh grade advisor Nilu Syed explains: “Every week, the girls learn something that will ultimately enable them to complete progressively more difficult hikes. The first week, we learned about salt marshes and the importance of biodiversity. The next week, we learned about the importance of land acknowledgment and how the wealth of Jamestown was built on Black and Brown labor.”

“I like how we get into nature and learn about new things, like identifying rocks, mushrooms, leaves, the land we’re on, and how to hike,” said Alivia Harris. “At the end each day, we write a reflection to think about what we saw, heard, and learned.”

Reflecting on the new partnership, Head of School Maura Farrell remarked: “MEO provides an incredible opportunity for our students to access the outdoors in a way that beautifully weaves together our social justice curriculum and wellness programs.”

Seventh graders explore the salt marsh.

Women of Wisdom 2022: Career Symposium

Each year, our Women of Wisdom celebration honors courageous, wise women who make a lasting impact on their communities. On May 26, Sophia Academy students, faculty, and staff welcomed more than 40 guest speakers to share their educational and career journeys, showing our students and young graduates by example that they, too, have the inherent talent and wisdom to follow any pathway they choose.

In small discussion groups, guests answered questions pre-written by our 8th grade host committee, including: How did you learn about your current career? How do you deal with people who look at you and jump to conclusions about what you are capable of? Through your hardships, what keeps you going as a leader? What advice did your mentors give you to become who you are today?

Learn more about our symposium panelists and sponsors at www.sophia-academy.org/22wow.