Isabel Elgin, Sienna Ryan & Alayna Wong
Reporters

Convent and Stuart Hall High Schools gathered in Syufy Theatre yesterday to celebrate the end of the centenary year honoring Janet Erskine Stuart, RSCJ. The ceremony was live streamed to Sacred Heart schools across the nation from Stuart Country Day School in Princeton, New Jersey.

“To be a joy-bearer and a joy-giver says everything,” Sister Jan Dunn, RSCJ’s prayed, quoting Stuart and reflecting on her prominent consideration of joy. “It means that one is faithfully living for God and that nothing else counts, and if one gives joy to others we are doing God’s work.”

Sacred Heart schools across the United States created short videos of students from each school presenting individualized stepping stones, symbols of the communities Stuart influenced with her vision for education. Some schools exemplified her presence through natural means, such as planting hyacinths in Stuart’s honor, as the Greenwich students did.

“This celebration really emphasized the power of the Network and underlined how collectively, when we think about our national and international presence, we are a very, very large school and that’s very exciting,” Head of School Rachel Simpson said.

“It was a very interesting experience,” freshman Gabby Tom said, “It showed me that we are all part of one network of schools and that we are one big community.”

“It made me feel like I was part of a bigger community,” freshman Candice Weinman agreed. “It made me feel whole.”