Newton Students Earn More than 80 Scholastic Art Awards

Newton South topped the list with 42 awards, more than any other Newton school.

With more than 80 awards won by 70 students, Newton was certainly well-represented in this year's Boston Globe Scholastic Art & Writing Awards.  Among Newton's high schools, Newton South High School took home the most honors, with 42 awards between 33 students.  The 42 awards at Newton South included 20 Gold Key Awards, 12 Silver Key Awards and 10 Honorable Mentions, according to a press release issued by the Newton South Arts Department.  In addition, Newton South students won the most film and animation awards of any school in the state, the press release said.  Over at Newton North High School, 24 students took home a total of 29 awards, including six Gold Key Awards, 14 Silver Key Awards and nine Honorable Mentions. For a full list of …

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Newton's Mount Alvernia Softball Team Advances in State Tournament

Watertown lost to Mt. Alvernia, a team with which they split two games during the regular season.

Two familiar foes matched up for the third time this season, and Mt. Alvernia's softball team came out on top of of Watertown in the first round MIAA Div. 3 North Tournamant game on Thursday. With the win, Mount Alvernia moves on to first round play in the North Div. 3 tournament, and will face Lynnfield on Sat., June 2 at 4 p.m. in Lynnfield. Both of the regular season games went into extra innings, said Mustangs' coach Mike Nosky, with Watertown winning the first in 11 innings and Mt. Alvernia taking the second in eight innings. Thursday the Mustangs prevailed 10-6 on their home field. "Theses are two evenly matched teams," Nosky said. "They are much better than what their record (2-19) shows. Today we just had a little more than they …

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PHOTOS: Hats Off to Mount Alvernia's Class of 2012

The all-female high school in Newton graduated 34 seniors on Sat., May 19, 2012. Valedictorian Siobhan Burke and Salutatorian Brianna Chaves each addressed the Class of 2012.

Mount Alvernia High School celebrated its 73rd commencement on Sat., May 19, graduating 34 seniors from the all-female school. Valedictorian Siobhan Burke and Salutatorian Brianna Chaves each addressed the Class of 2012. Principal Eileen McLaughlin presented the diplomas. Photos and information provided by Patrick O'Connor. 

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Whiz Kids

Whiz Kid: Local Student Combines Creativity and Community Service

This week’s Whiz Kid is passionate about making jewelry and serving her community.

Name: Siobhan Burke  Age: 18 School: Mount Alvernia High School Accomplishment: Siobhan recently started her own small business making and selling jewelry and donating the proceeds to the American Heart Association. Aside from her new jewelry business, Siobhan has also completed more than 300 hours of community service.  She helped out at the St. Jude Summer Bible Camp for several years, and she has served as a tutor in the National Honor Society. As a tutor, she spent both last year and this year teaching fellow students once per week. Siobhan also participated in the Hugh O’Brian Youth Leadership Program and volunteered at several charitable runs, including the Special Olympics and the Arthritis Foundation runs. Key to Awesomeness: …

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Enrollment Up at Two Newton Independent Schools

While some other schools close their doors, Mount Alvernia High School and The Fessenden School both report rises in enrollment.

Despite a tough economy, two private schools in Newton have enjoyed a recent swell in enrollment, at the same time some parochial and independent schools in Massachusetts have closed their doors due to lagging student populations. Just this year, The Holy Trinity School in Greenfield, Mass., closed last spring due to declining enrollment; in 2009, another parochial school, Hudson Catholic, in Hudson, Mass., was shuttered after seeing its student numbers fall. But at Mount Alvernia High School in Newton, a Catholic girls’ school for about 250 students in grades 7 through 12, officials have seen an increase in enrollment recently, said Eileen McLaughlin, head of school, who noted that despite a one-time enrollment dip two years ago, Mount …

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