On Friday January 18, 2016, Marymount Academy had the pleasure of spending some of their afternoon with special guest Lisa Marie Naponse. Their guest was introduced by two very confident young women, students Tyanna Soucy and Hailey Organ. These two ladies are currently representatives of the Aniisinaabe Cultural group here at Marymount Academy which is organized in collaboration with Carla Petahtegoose, the SCDSB Indigenous Education Support Worker. Lisa Marie is a self-taught singer and songwriter from Atikameksheng Anishinawbek. She shared her art and music which is a blend of blues, folk, and country. During her visit with Marymount she engaged the students in song and rhythm. Lisa shared with the students that as she was growing up, she was surrounded by music and creativity her mother and father played music and her sisters were pow wow dancers and craftswomen. Lisa speaks to people through music on indigenous life and her experiences as an Anishnawbe Kwe(Woman). Lisa quickly embraced the microphone community; which lead her to eventually co-founding an Indigenous Arts Collective that showcased Indigenous performances and art throughout the city of Ottawa. Today Lisa Marie has returned to her community and is working on new music and art. Finally, to finish off our assembly Hailey Organ kindly presented a gift on behalf of the Marymount staff and students.
Category: Arts
Experiencing Performance Art and the Written Word at MMA
“If you were an animal, what animal would you be?” This was the question that Tanya Neumeyer, a Toronto based poet posed to one of the English classes at Marymount Academy on April 17, 2015. Neumeyer, a published poet and workshop facilitator, was in town to perform at the (W)rites of Poetry event that night, but visited several of the English classes on April 16 and 17 to work with the students to help encourage their development of poetry and their creative process. The students had to immediately react to the question by acting out which animal best reflected their own personalities. Through these types of activities – performance art and written word, Neumyer encouraged the students to break down their own barriers and feel confident to perform in front of others. “It is always such a great experience for our students when Tanya comes to visit and work with them in small groups and classes,” Lucie Cullen, principal of Marymount Academy explained. “It is such a unique, positive experience that is hugely impactful on the students. It really helps give them a voice and expresses their own creativity.”
Marymount Academy Celebrates International Moment of Laughter Day – April 14th
Studies have shown that laughing not only lowers blood pressure and reduces stress hormone levels, it also improves cardiac health, boosts T cells, triggers endorphins, and is a fabulous ab workout! Best of all, laughter has been proven to increase our overall sense of well-being. So, the goal for the day at Marymount Academy on April 14, 2015 was to get people laughing!
The staff posted several hilarious visual jokes around the school, and told jokes between periods over the P.A. system.
At lunch, students who told the librarian a funny joke won a prize. Also, secondary students were invited to join the Improv Club for several “moments of improvised laughter” while elementary students were invited to vote for their funniest teacher.
The winner by a landslide was teacher Debra Michaud! She received a silly headband and a jar of candy along with the coveted Wand of Laughter. Teacher Colin Lapalme came in a distant 2nd and received a bag of leftover candy.
It was a “funderful” day at Marymount Academy. Laughter really is the best medicine.
The (W)rites of Spring Poetry Evening – April 17, 2015
First and foremost, Kim Fahner is a writer. With three published books of poetry under her belt, another almost complete, as well as a new novel in the works, Fahner is immersed in the world of writing. On top of this, Fahner is also a full time teacher at Marymount Academy, where she often brings her world of writing and the appreciation of the written word, her students, and the community together. The result is the event that she has planned for April 17, 2015.
Remembering a similar event back in 1998 put on by Roger Nash, former Greater Sudbury Poet Laureate, and Ontario Representative for the League of Canadian Poets at the time, Fahner thought that a similar event would be a great way for the Sudbury community to celebrate National Poetry Month in April. Contacting some of her poet friends, the (W)rites of Spring Poetry Evening came into being, sponsored by the League of Canadian Poets, The Canada Council for the Arts, and Marymount Academy. The evening will be a celebration of poetry for the community, with five notable Canadian poets slated to perform: Tom Leduc (current Poet Laureate for Greater Sudbury), Roger Nash (past Poet Laureate), Kim Fahner (Sudbury poet), Susan McMaster (Ottawa poet), and Tanya Neumeyer (Toronto performance poet). The theme for this month is poetry that celebrates food, but a wide variety of poems will be performed. People of all ages are invited to attend, and it is Fahner’s hope that the evening is an opportunity for the community to appreciate really great poetry. “When I think back to the event in 1998, I recall a really amazing evening that brought together talented writers and people who really appreciated poetry,” Fahner stated. “ I really believe that art elevates people, so I think this will be a brilliant evening that celebrates the beauty of poetry.”
Books will be for sale, with poets available for signings after the event. Refreshments will also be for sale. Admission is free, but there will be a silver collection with proceeds being directed to support the Poet Laureate’s Young Writers’ Guild at the Greater Sudbury Public Library. For further information, please call Kim Fahner at Marymount Academy at (705) 674-4231.
MMA Junior and Senior bands have great showing at Northern Ontario Music Festival
The Marymount Academy Junior and Senior Concert Bands competed at the Northern Ontario Music Festival this past week, Feb. 25-27, and the results are in!
Congratulations to the Junior Concert Band for their ranking of “Silver Plus” and a huge congratulations to the Senior Concert Band who achieved a “Gold” standard of performance! A first for MMA in 5 years! Along with a Gold standard of performance, the Senior Concert Band also received an invitation to the National Festival.
Students and staff are thrilled with the results of their hard work and will continue to work towards performance goals. Next up is the Kiwanis Music Festival and back by popular demand, MMA’s spring pops concert on Thursday June 4th. Hope to see you there!
Celebrating Friendship Through Music
Both Maggie Schell and Kaylyn Collin have been friends since grade 7. Now in grade 9 at Marymount Academy, they have discovered that their friendship means even more as they have both discovered their mutual love of music. Schell, about a year ago, decided to teach herself guitar. After playing around with it for a while, she decided to write a song, adding bits and pieces along the way. Already knowing how to play the violin, French horn and trumpet, Schell’s musical background allowed her to be creative musically and came up with her very first song entitled, “What About Love?” Collin, a bit newer to the guitar, decided to pick it up just a couple months ago when the two started talking about performing at the May 15 Marymount Gala event. Already able to play the cello, and percussion, Collin decided to learn guitar to be able to play Schell’s song with her and make it a duo. The end result was a beautiful friendship that become even stronger as result of their mutual musical endeavours. The pair have been able to perform the song at a number of venues over the last two months and are hoping to write and perform together even more in the future with the possibility of perhaps even putting together a full band.
To hear the girls perform, click play on the video below:
The Marymount Academy Music Department Proudly Presents a Spring Pops Concert!
Tuesday June 3rd, 7pm – Marymount Gymnasium – Admission by Donation
Baked goods and light refreshments provided.
Featuring:
Senior Concert Band, Junior Concert Band,
Grade 9-12 Strings Class, and Grade 9 Instrumental Music Class
The entire music department has collaborated to perform an evening of popular movie and TV themes for friends, family, and teachers alike. From the Simpsons to Pink Panther, Jurassic Park to E.T. there’s something for everyone! You’re invited to join us for this celebration of all that the music department has worked hard to accomplished this year including the:
Senior Concert Band who won a Silver at the Northern Ontario Music Festival, a Gold at the Kiwanis Music Festival, Ontario Registered Music Teachers Association award, and a Bronze at the Toronto Music Festival in May on their performance trip.
Junior Concert Band (gr.7-10) who won a Bronze at the Northern Ontario Music Festival, a Gold at the Kiwanis Music Festival, the Lougheed Family and Staff award, and have just returned from their two day performance tour of Sudbury Catholic Schools (thanks again to St. Andrew, St. Raphael, and Immaculate Conception!).
Senior Percussion Ensemble who won a Gold a the Kiwanis Music Festival and the Estelle Scappatura award.
It has truly been a fantastic year for the music program at Marymount and we are thrilled to entertain audiences once again by sharing the music we love!
Marymount Dinner, Talent Show and Silent Auction – May 15, 2014
Marymount Academy Presents – Sleeping Beauty
Elementary students from the Sudbury Catholic District School Board were treated to Marymount Academy’s rendition of Sleeping Beauty – which ran from April 23 – 26. Under the direction of teacher Jolanta Tourville, with the assistance of teachers Anna White and Cathy Fairgrieve, and former student Jessica Pugliese, the students at Marymount Academy put on a stellar performance of Disney’s Sleeping Beauty for all audiences.
Hands On Learning with Shakespeare
Students in Marymount Academy teacher Allison Cameron’s grade 9 English class had a unique lesson on Shakespeare recently. In order for the students to become more engaged with this unit of study, Cameron had each of her students create a mask reflecting their book study on Romeo and Juliet. As part of this lesson, students brought in different sorts of crafts and decorations that would be used to create unique masks. “When you give students the opportunity for hands on learning, they are much more likely to connect to the lesson,” Cameron stated. “The students have fun and get to be totally creative, all the while they are really learning on a deeper level. It is a great way to engage the student and make the lessons come alive!”