Annual Appeal Letter
10,000 Strong
December 2011
Dear Alumnae and Parents,
As we sit to compose a letter intended to encourage the reader to dig deep and make a monetary donation to support Sacred Heart Academy, we are reminded of what first brought us to the Sacred Heart Community. The oldest of our three daughters was faced with the decision of where to attend high school. Should it be all girls or coed, big or small? Could she find a place where she could flourish academically while also pursuing her love for athletics? As I recall, Amy chose SHA in large part for its size; not too big, not too small. What we found at SHA was so much more: interested, dedicated, and caring teachers who challenged the girls academically. Camaraderie among the students, and a place where you could be yourself without the social pressures that come to bare in a coed school. Athletic coaches who were not just focused on winning, but who treated each girl as their own, mentoring and fostering a sense of community in each of their young athletes. These characteristics are difficult to find in today’s competitive world. Most importantly, SHA provided a spiritual environment that helped form the woman she is today as she embarks on her career in the “real world.”
The choice was easier for our two younger girls. They chose Sacred Heart because their older sister was happy and they too wanted the SHA experience. They already knew some of the faculty because they had sat together in the stands at basketball games, cheering on their sister’s team. Those are very happy memories, ones we would not change for anything. All of this not only provided a great environment for our girls, but also a wonderful bonding experience for our family. Although each of their experiences at SHA was unique, they shared the same steadfast
values that are so lacking in today’s world: honesty, integrity, consideration for others, the value of hard work, love of family and the community, and last, but certainly not least, love of God and how to incorporate that into life’s journey. These ideals are invaluable as our “women of heart” step out into the world and will help them when
grappling with life’s tough choices. When we asked our daughters to consider what they think made their high school experience unique we heard similar sentiments. But they also spoke of the unparalleled feeling of family they have when reuniting with their SHA friends. They feel that the friendships they formed at Sacred Heart will last a lifetime and the bonds developed during those formative years will never be broken.
As we reflect on the values of a SHA education, we pause to recognize our faculty and their sacrifices as Catholic school educators. We realize that the tuition does not fully cover the cost of educating our young women and are mindful of the sacrifice that hardworking families make in allowing their daughters to partake of this wonderful educational experience, particularly so in hard economic times. It is in this spirit of shared sacrifice that we ask you to consider an additional expression of support or an increase in your previous donation for the annual appeal.
Collectively we can insure that the mission of Sacred Heart continues to flourish in meeting the challenges of preparing our young women to succeed and serve others.
Sincerely,
Alice and William Tenet P ’07, ’09, ’12