St. Mary’s Academy’s Food for Thought Tuition Assistance Luncheon Lifts Spirits

Portland, November 30th.  The 19^thannual Food for Thought Tuition Assistance Luncheon raised more than $355,000 toward the school’s commitment to financial aid for the current year. Olympian and 2012 Food for Thought keynote speaker Joan Benoit Samuelson, student speaker Ellen Patterson and Food for Thought Committee Chair Mariah Scott enjoyed the event. The signature annual event was held at the Hilton Portland & Executive Tower and drew more than 740 attendees united in their passion for ensuring that a St. Mary’s Academy education remains accessible to all young women.

From St. Mary’s Academy:

• Founded in 1859 by the Sisters of the Holy Names of Jesus and Mary, St. Mary’s Academy is Oregon’s oldest continuously operating secondary school, with nearly 10,000 alumnae.

• St. Mary’s is the only school in Oregon to have received three U.S. Department of Education Blue Ribbon Schools Program Awards.

• St. Mary’s celebrates the achievements of the 152 accomplished young women comprising the Class of 2012: two National Merit Scholarship Program Finalists, seven National Merit Scholarship Program Commended Scholars and two National Hispanic Recognition Program Scholars. These seniors earned nine National Art Honor Society Honor Cords, 57 Service Honor Cords, 44 Scholar Athlete Cords, 19 Thespian Honor Cords, 21 Tri-M Music Honor Cords, 14 OSAA Music Scholar Cords and 64 National Honor Society Stoles.

• On Advanced Placement exams, 92 percent of students earned a three or better, with 35 percent of students earning the highest score of a five. Tests are scored from one to five, and a score of three or better will earn college credit at many universities.

More information at http://www.stmaryspdx.org/