Saint Mary's School kicks off 175th year August 27

RALEIGH, N.C. - Aug. 22, 2016 - PRLog -- The opening of the 2016-2017 school year kicks off a year of historical significance at Saint Mary's, as the school celebrates its 175th year of continuous operation. A festive kick-off celebration will be held on opening day, Saturday, August 27, from 2:45 - 3 p.m., in front of Chan-Poyner Hall.

With a 175-year history of resilience, resolve, and a strong sense of purpose, Saint Mary's School has stood the test of time as Raleigh's oldest continually operating school and remains true to its original mission of educating young women. The 175th school year finds Saint Mary's School thriving with growing enrollment, consistently increasing fundraising, sound finances, devoted alumnae, supportive and engaged parents, bright students, outstanding leadership, a beautiful campus, a new strategic plan, and a distinguished history.

Since opening its doors to the "Original 13" students on May 12, 1842, Saint Mary's has stood firm in its dedication to academic excellence for girls. Saint Mary's has thrived by adapting to the changing, and sometimes challenging, times in the history of the nation, the world, and the school - from the Civil War to the World Wars; through societal and technological progress; through times of economic boom and bust in the country; and through ever-changing trends in women's education.

The celebration of the 2016-2017 school year of 175 years of excellence in education for women will honor and celebrate the success of the school in delivering to many generations of girls the original mission inspired by the conviction of Saint Mary's founder, the Rev. Aldert Smedes, that "an educated woman can make a difference," a tenet as relevant in the 21st century as it was in 1842.

Today, Saint Mary's School, a community dedicated to academic excellence and personal achievement, continues to educate and prepare young women for college and life. To accomplish its mission, Saint Mary's School challenges each woman to embrace the habits of an intellectual life, engages her with the past and the emerging future, and empowers her to serve and shape her world.

About Saint Mary's School

Saint Mary's School in Raleigh, North Carolina, is an independent, Episcopal, college-preparatory, boarding and day school dedicated to academic excellence and personal achievement for girls in grades 9-12. The historic core of the school's 23-acre campus is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and is a stop on the North Carolina Civil War Trails. The Saint Mary's Chapel, designed by Richard Upjohn, is a National Historic Site, and five of the school's 25 buildings are Raleigh Historic Properties. For more information, visit http://www.sms.edu.