Visitation Academy - Saint Louis

Congratulations to Lillian C. '25 for earning the Gold Presidential Service Award through Welcome Neighbor STL for an incredible 260 hours of service! Lillian, a dedicated member of the START (St. Louis Teens Aid Refugees Today) program's student leadership board since August 2023, has shown outstanding leadership, reliability, creativity, and positivity. Her compassionate work with refugee families truly embodies the spirit of service.

We are immensely proud to have such an inspiring leader in our community. A special thank you to Welcome Neighbor STL, founded by our very own alumna, Ann Helmsing Wittman, Class of 1993, for fostering such impactful opportunities.

Our student Pilgrimage to Annecy France has come to an end and we are so excited to share what our pilgrims have been up to this past several days!

Wednesday: Big first day of activities. We visited the family castle of St. Francis, which is his birthplace and childhood home. Also, this is where he had the vision of St. Jane and the procession of women that would become the Visitation order. Then we visited the church where St. Francis was baptized and ordained as a bishop. After lunch in Annecy, we spent the afternoon with the Visitation sisters at the basilica in Annecy. We had an amazing experience with the sisters, even doing a couple of hours of service on their farm and residence. We finished our visit by going to vespers (evening prayer) with all the sisters. The girls are back at the hotel, heading to bed.

Thursday: Today we drove to the castle and ruins at Les Allinges. This was Francis’ home during his evangelization of the Calvinists in the Chablais Region. From there, we hiked down into the town, similar to the hike Francis did every day for his safety. We then drove to Lake Geneva for lunch. After we returned to Annecy, we spent the afternoon on Lake Annecy trying out the pedal boats. It was a nice cool down after some big hills in Les Allinges. Dinner was at a local restaurant, and then the girls had free time in Annecy. All are in bed now after another busy day. Tomorrow we start at the Galerie House, where the Visitation was founded. The girls have been amazing travelers and explorers. I am so proud of their engagement at each site. It has been a powerful experience for all of us.

Friday: After visiting the sisters, Sr. Mary Francis texted us, “Your visit could not have given us greater joy!” Yes, texted! We started at the Galerie House. St. Jane referred to this first monastery as a “place of delight and rest” and where she became the first female leader of a major religious order. It was a powerful experience to be in the space where Francis, Jane, and the original sisters designed the charism that we continue to follow. We then traveled up the mountain overlooking Lake Annecy to the Church of St. Germain. Francis hoped to retire in this place because of its beauty and his reverence for St. Germain. The afternoon was spent at Lake Annecy swimming and having lunch. We returned to Annecy for free time and dinner. Tomorrow we go to Paray-le-Monial to learn more about St. Margaret Mary.

Saturday: A student, after hearing a difficult story, said, “Well, we just need to lead with love.” Today started with Mass in Paray. We were at the Church of St. Margaret Mary. The packed 11 a.m. Mass was in a beautiful church honoring the miracle of the Sacred Heart. In the sisters' choir is the actual heart of Margaret Mary. The reverence of the community in Paray was inspiring! Lunch was at Pinocchio’s Pizza - so delicious. In the afternoon, we visited the Jesuits in a church honoring St. Claude La Colombiere, who authenticated Margaret Mary’s visions with Jesus. Saving the best for last, we finished the afternoon with the Visitation Sisters of Paray-le-Monial. Truly a joyful community. The sisters were so happy to meet the girls and were so impressed by their questions. Sunday is our last day. We will celebrate Mass with the Annecy sisters, and they will show the girls the vow book, including St. Jane’s signature! The girls are tired but have been amazing pilgrims. I am so proud of them!

Sunday: The last day of our pilgrimage is about to come to an end. We started the day with Mass at the basilica with the sisters. We were welcomed in French (and English) by the pastor. After Mass, we were invited into the cloister to see the Vow Book, which was first created by Francis and Jane in 1611 and continues to this day, including a signature from Pope John Paul II. It was hard to leave the monastery; we really connected with the sisters, and they look forward to our future visits. We just finished our farewell dinner, where we commissioned the girls as pilgrims and talked about how to bring this experience home. The girls are going to bed soon, as we will leave for Geneva at 6 a.m. It has been a truly amazing experience, but we are ready to come home! See everyone Monday night at 11:42 p.m.

Thank you for the privilege of traveling with your daughters!

Visitation is proud to announce that two of our lacrosse players have been honored by the Post-Dispatch as 3rd Team All-Metro selections. Congratulations to Molly F. '26 as well as Emma M. '24, who has surpassed the impressive milestone of 100 career goals!

Enjoy a treat in the heat and come join us for one of our upcoming Ice Cream Socials on July 16,17, and 18! They will be held from 4-5 pm in the Jesus Circle Drive.

We will be selling tickets for our Visitation Night with the Cardinals during the Ice Cream Socials as well for $15. All members of the Viz community are invited to join us at the ballpark!

Have questions or want to know more about the Visitation Charism? Here is your opportunity to learn more! Join us for Salesian 101 on Tuesday, August 20th or 27th to learn more about Salesian Charism and Visistation Academy.

Register by clicking the link: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfVQbBLDokW6ew0rFhHt2YslLOPmPTuRhL4JjMYofMLebbTDg/viewform

Registration for the Visitation Golf Tournament is now open! Add a Mulligan to your ticket purchase - you never know when you'll need it!

To purchase a ticket or to become a sponsor, click this link: https://one.bidpal.net/vizgolf2024/welcome

Our virtue for the month of June is Gratitude and our artwork comes from Ella K. '24.

She says of her work, "Gratitude is cultivated. It doesn’t just appear one day. It is grown by paying attention to the good little things in your life. It starts small with a smile from a friend, a warm shower after a long day, or a cuddle from a pet. All those little moments of goodness that we appreciate form a swirling web of memories that connects us to our world. Being grateful helps us grow in love for everything around us and teaches us to give back."

St. Jane also reminds us, "Adore God from the bottom of your heart and thank Him for all the benefits and graces He has given you."

Congratulations to Visitation Alumnae Wendy Wiese ‘79 on her well-deserved induction into the Missouri Broadcasters Association Hall of Fame! With over 35 years of incredible broadcasting in St. Louis at KMOX, KTRS, and KETC, Wendy has truly made her mark. Currently co-hosting the Jennifer and Wendy Show on KTRS and shining as a panelist on Donnybrook, her passion and dedication continue to inspire us all. Here’s to celebrating your remarkable achievements, Wendy!

Please support our Visitation students as they sing "Take Me Out to the Ball Game" during the 7th inning stretch on Tuesday, July 30.

Upper, middle and, and lower school families are welcome as well as siblings, aunts, uncles, cousins, and grandparents. We would love to fill our section and cheer on our students as they sing for the first time at Busch Stadium. Please also consider inviting family and friends to attend this event.

Every family who purchases tickets by May 31 will be entered into a raffle to win 4 tickets for a field visit prior to the game!

Link to get tickets: https://www.givecampus.com/schools/VisitationAcademy/events/night-with-the-cardinals-2024

Maypole ❤️🤍

Today, our students engaged in two meaningful service activities. They crafted bracelets for children's organizations and made tie blankets for local animal shelters. It was a wonderful morning dedicated to service and giving back to our community!

Please join us for a Mass for the Solemnity of the Sacred Heart of Jesus on Friday, June 7 at 5:30 pm. The Mass will take place in the Chapel at Visitation and there will be a reception immedietly following the Mass.

To RSVP, please click the link: https://bit.ly/2024sacredheart

Last week, our Grade 3 students had to the opportunity to visit a farm and return 16 chicks that they had cared for and incubated for the previous 21 days.

Diane Bernardi, the owner of the farm, brought the chicks in an incubator to the classroom where the whole lower school helped care for them by babysitting them, playing with them, and reading to them. The chicks were 6 days old when they were returned to the Bernardi's farm.

This experience helped the students get real experience with some of the topics they have covered in class this year including information about how farms are an important part of our state's economy. This also was a wonderful addition to their science unit topic of "Life Cycles."

The girls had so much fun during this experience and we are so thankful to Mrs. Bernardi as well as US teacher Anita Dunn who volunteers regularly at the farm and helped us schedule our visit!

Our Junior girls have begun their Apostolic service projects and are hard at work serving all over the St. Louis community. Our girls are serving at various places including Froebel Literacy School, Lifewise, St. Patrick's Center, Crisis Nursery, and many more!

This morning, we held our Alumnae Induction Ceremony to officially welcome the Class of 2024 into our alum community. During the ceremony, two awards were given out.

The first award was given was The Sister Mary Aimee Dilschneider Alumnae Essay Award presented to Victoria B. for her fantastic essay about “The Portrait of a Visitation Graduate.”

The second award given out was the Alumnae Award which was presented to Stephanie M. She was selected by her classmates to be given this award as one who exemplifies Visitation ideals and embodies our motto of

Congratulations to our award winners and our newest inductees to our Alumnae community!

Last night was the commencement ceremony for our beautiful seniors. For many, this marked the end of four years at Viz and for some, this ceremony was the end of 16 years of calling Viz home.

We will miss the Class of 2024 as they embark on their next journey in life!

Only two days left to buy tickets for our Visitation Night with the Cardinals! This event is a great opportunity for the entire Viz community to come together and have some fun at the ballpark this summer!

And we have a special surprise! Each family who purchases a ticket will be entered into a raffle to win 4 tickets for a field visit prior to the game! Don't miss out on this opportunity!

To purchase tickets, please click the link: https://www.givecampus.com/schools/VisitationAcademy/events/night-with-the-cardinals-2024

This morning, we had our MS Choir and Dance concert! Our MS girls did an excellent job singing, dancing, and speaking about their year in choir and the songs they learned.

Afterward, guests had the opportunity to walk through our new Art Gallery space and enjoy the MS Art Show. We have some very talented Vivettes!

Great job, girls and thank you to Ms. Jenn Haney, our wonderful Music and Choir Director!

We are happy to share that the National Center for Women & Information Technology awarded Jane K. '25 (not pictured) and Isabella B. '26 with the NCWIT Aspirations in Computing High School Award Eastern Missouri & Southern Illinios Affiliate Honorable Mention!

Also, our Computer Science teacher Sarah Walsh was named the 2024 NCWIT Eastern Missouri and Southern Illinois Affiliate Educator Winner!

Congratulations to you all!

Recently, Dr. Amelia Blanton Hibner, Dean of Mission Integration, embarked on a journey to Rome to participate in an international symposium titled 'Repairing the Irreparable.' The symposium gathered over 150 participants from around the world to delve into the concept of reparation in the context of Jesus' call for healing and reconciliation to Saint Margaret Mary Alacoque.

This gathering delved into the theological, anthropological, and psychological dimensions of reparation as speakers explored how humanity is called to respond with love to the irreparable shortcomings and failings of our lives.

A particularly poignant aspect of this symposium was its examination of how Jesus' call for reparations offers a spiritual pathway to address the crisis of abuse within the Church.
Reflecting on her experience, Dr. Blanton Hibner shares, 'The opportunity to listen to the testimonies of those who have been abused and the medical personnel who accompany them was a stark reminder of Jesus' cry for the repair of His Mystical Body, of which we are all a part.'

The pinnacle of the trip came with a private audience with Pope Francis during which attendees had the honor of hearing the Holy Father's insights on the topic of reparations and the importance of concrete actions. In a world marked by brokenness and division, the call to repair the irreparable stands as a beacon of light, guiding humanity toward healing and wholeness.

Dr. Blanton Hibner was one of five Americans who received grants from the Second Federation of the Visitation Sisters of Holy Mary to attend the conference; she was the only representative from a Visitation school.”

We are so proud to share that FOUR Viz students have earned the President's Volunteer Service Award from the National Charity League, Inc. These girls have shown outstanding committment to the St. Louis community through their charitable acts and volunteering.

Our Gold recipient is MS student Audrey J. '28 who has done more than 100 hours of community service and our Bronze recipients are US students Lauren C. '25, Anna Lee H. '25, and Mikayla W. '26 who have done between 100-174 hours of service!

We are so proud of our girls for giving back to our community!

In addition to celebrating our teachers this week, we also celebrated our wonderful nurse, Grace Walsh, in honor of National Nurse Appreciation Week, and our amazing faculty & staff who will be leaving us at the end of the school year to begin their next journey. (Not pictured Dr. Beth Human)❤️

A few of our students recently volunteered at the MO Miss Amazing Amplify event. Miss Amazing focuses on providing opportunities for girls and women with disabilities to consider their goals, step outside of their comfort zones, and build networks of support!

The Amplify event allows participants to partake in an interview, passion presentation, parade of formal wear, and be crowed as Princesses of Missouri. One participant from each division gets selected as Queen and get to represent Missouri at the National Summit in Chicago in July!

We are so proud of our students for getting out into the community and sharing their passions and talents with others!

A huge thank you to Tali Allen, Director of Education at The Muny, who joined us on campus yesterday to present our St. Louis High School Musical Theatre Awards medallions for the ten nominations we received for our Upper School production of Mean Girls. (Not pictured Jonathan Hartley). An awards show will be held at The Fabulous Fox Theatre on May 24, and the cast will perform on the Fox stage. To join us, click the link in our bio to purchase tickets.

Today, we were blessed with the presence of Archbishop Rozanski, who visited our campus to bestow his blessings upon our Junior Class as they begin their Junior Apostolic service projects. In addition, he talked with members of our Association of the Christian Faithful and our sisters! Thank you Archbishop Rozanski!

We are so thrilled to share that our production of "Mean Girls" has been nominated for 10 St. Louis High School Musical Theatre Awards! This is a remarkable achievement and we couldn't be more proud of our entire cast and crew! Viz's nominations are:

- Outstanding Supporting Actress: Rebecca M. '24
- Outstanding Supporting Actor: Owen H.
- Outstanding Direction: Marty Strohmeyer
- Outstanding Scenic Design + Ex*****on: Jonathan Hartley
- Outstanding Costume Design + Ex*****on: Caroline B. '24
- Outstanding Choreography: Ellen Isom
- Outstanding Musical Direction: Jenn Haney
- Outstanding Technical Ex*****on
- Outstanding Ensemble
- Outstanding Musical Level 2

There will be an awards show at the Fox Theatre on May 24th and our wonderful cast will be performing on the Fox stage! Once ticket information is available for the show, we will share that.

We're not bluffing - Registration for our annual Golf Tournament is now open! Click the link below to get more information and to register!

https://one.bidpal.net/vizgolf2024/welcome

Emma M. '24 reached a big milestone, notching her 100th career goal in Lacrosse during last night's game! Congratulations on this incredible achievement, Emma!

Last day to register for our Grade 4 and 5 party! Click the link below for more information and to register!

https://www.givecampus.com/schools/VisitationAcademy/events/4th-5th-grade-party-ticket

Please join our Fathers' Club for their annual Spring Bags Tournament on May 18 at Pioneer Park! It's $50 for an individual and $100 per team with a 3 game minimum. For more information and to register, please click the following link: https://www.givecampus.com/schools/VisitationAcademy/events/fathers-club-bags-tournament