St. Vincent's Academy
St. Vincent's Academy (SVA) is a private, Catholic, all-female high school located next to the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist in downtown Savannah, Georgia, United States. The school operates within the Roman Catholic Diocese of Savannah and enrolls about 350 girls in grades 9-12.
| St. Vincent's Academy | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Address | |
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207 East Liberty Street , 31401 United States | |
| Coordinates | 32°4′26″N 81°5′28″W |
| Information | |
| Type | Private |
| Motto | Women Who Lead |
| Religious affiliation(s) | Roman Catholic |
| Established | 1845 |
| Sister school | Benedictine Military School |
| President | Mary Anne Hogan |
| Principal | Dawn Odom |
| Faculty | 34 |
| Grades | 9-12 |
| Gender | Girls |
| Enrollment | 326 (2020-21) |
| Color(s) | Blue & gold |
| Athletics conference | GHSA |
| Nickname | Saints |
| Accreditation | Southern Association of Colleges and Schools[1] |
| Newspaper | Pleiades |
| Affiliation | National Catholic Educational Association[2] |
| Website | www |
History
St. Vincent's Academy was opened in June 1845 by the Sisters of Mercy as the Convent and Academy of Saint Vincent dePaul. Under the leadership of Mother Vincent Mahoney, the Sisters of Mercy from Charleston, South Carolina began the boarding school, an orphanage, a day school, and a free school. The St. Vincent's Convent became an independent Motherhouse within two years.
More than 20 schools, hospitals, and orphanages were founded throughout Georgia from the Motherhouse. A few early foundations that continue in service include St. Mary's Home, Savannah (1875), and St. Joseph's Hospital (1880).
Courses in the early curriculum included Penmanship, Astronomy, Composition of Fiction, Sacred and Profane History, Ancient Geography, Chronology, Mythology, and Embroidery.
A historical marker was erected in 1983 at the intersection of East Liberty Street and Abercorn Street in Savannah, Chatham County, Georgia. The marker (Georgia Historic Marker 025–93) is at 32°4′26.33″N 81°5′28.16″W.
Campus
| Heritage Hall in the original convent building recalls for today's young women St. Vincent's tradition of educational excellence through artifacts, photographs, paintings, and historical documents dating back to the school's founding. |
Architect Charles B. Cluskey designed the convent and academy building in the Greek Revival style.
In addition to the original convent building and the academic building, St. Vincent's has Dressel Hall and the school gym building. Located across Liberty Street from the main campus, Dressel Hall was originally built to house the school's library. As part of the 2021 renovations, it was turned into the school's new weight room. The gym sits opposite from the main campus on Lincoln Street and also houses the school's cafeteria and kitchen.
During the summer furlough between the 2020–21 and 2021-22 school years, an extensive renovation project was completed on the original convent building, adding seven new classrooms, multiple offices, a conference room, a new elevator, and various other facilities. Prior to the completion of these renovations, St. Vincent's Academy borrowed use of several classrooms of the cathedral's annex building on the other side of Harris Street for a number of years in order to deal with their increasing enrollment. Since the completion of the renovations, the teachers have moved back into the original building and no longer make use of the annex building.
Student activities
Catherine McAuley Awards
Each year, St. Vincent's Academy honors an alumna with the Catherine McAuley Award. The award is given to a person who exemplifies the attributes of Catherine McCauley and therefore exemplifies the ideals of St. Vincent's Academy while a student and throughout her life.
Sr. Jude Walsh '43, R.S.M. Award
This award is presented to someone who is associated with St. Vincent's, not necessarily a graduate, and can be female or male. This person must exemplify the qualities of Sr. Jude in relation to St. Vincent's: service, leadership, devotion, and advocacy.
St. Vincent's Tour of Homes and Tea
Each October, St. Vincent's Academy presents St. Vincent's Annual Tour of Homes and Tea, a self-guided tour of the original 1845 convent building and eight private homes in Savannah's Historic District. Proceeds from the Tour and Tea benefit the preservation of the convent.
Athletics
SVA sports include volleyball, softball, cross country, basketball, swimming, rifle, sailing, soccer, tennis, golf, flag football, beach volleyball, and track. St. Vincent's is a member of the Georgia High School Association (GHSA) and currently competes in the AA classification. During the 2013–2014 school year, St. Vincent's qualified for state competition in nine sports.
Clubs and organizations
Club events are scheduled two times per month throughout the school year. Many of these clubs participate in activities beyond meeting times during school hours.
Notable alumni
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The early history of St. Vincent's is intertwined with that of Savannah and the South. During the Civil War, eight-year-old Maggie Davis, whose father Jefferson Davis was President of the Confederate States of America, became a student at St. Vincent's. Her brother also came to the convent daily to recite his lessons.
Notable faculty
- Sister Mary Melanie Holliday, Catholic nun and schoolteacher
References
- AdvancED. "AdvancED-Find Accredited Institutions". Retrieved 2015-09-24.
- NCEA. "NCEA School Locator". Archived from the original on 2015-09-25. Retrieved 2015-09-24.
External links
- www.svaga.net - official website
- Roman Catholic Diocese of Savannah
