Leadership

Women of Color in Action (WOCA) works to foster an understanding of racial justice and equity throughout the SMA community from the perspective of students of color. WOCA EC promotes togetherness, learning and growth through education, open discussions, mentoring and activities.

SOC Connect aims to build community among students of color at St. Mary’s by connecting freshmen with older students for fun, bonding, and an opportunity to share experiences.

Unite Day showcases student-created and facilitated workshops on issues of equity and identity. From exploring multi-racial identity to climate justice to fast fashion, our community comes together to deepen our knowledge or engage with topics outside our daily experience.

Student Equity Team (SET) tackles systemic change by creating events and fostering opportunities for discussion around equity and inclusion. In recent years, SET has implemented the following initiatives:

• Recyclable and reusable school decorations
• Complimentary menstrual products in bathrooms
• Monthly newsletter sharing resources and book recommendations
• Equity workshops for freshmen

Lead Like A Girl Day is a series of student-led workshops and community building activities centered around empowerment, leadership, and fun for 5th and 6th grade girls in the Portland area. Developed and hosted by SMA students, past workshops have ranged from “Self Confidence” to “Women in STEAM” to “Crash Course on Feminism,” among others.

Lead In mentors are older St. Mary's Academy students who support the incoming freshmen class by focusing on community building, fostering friendships, easing the transition to high school, and teaching leadership skills in a collaborative environment. Lead In mentors plan fun events and activities for the freshmen and support them in small groups by their TA and one on one. Lead In makes sure that our freshmen feel love, connection, and a sense of joy and belonging that SMA is known for.

Student Equity team ( SET) serves as a student think tank on equity issues in and around SMA as well as the launch pad of student led initiatives and proposals.

This is a semi-secret organization at SMA that provides positive affirmations for various members of the SMA community throughout the year. The team does covert “Love Bomb Operations," which are acts of kindness that communicate your love and appreciation. Delivered as a surprise, these "love bombs" can be cards, banners, or other small gifts. 

Funded by the Harold and Arlene Schnitzer CARE Foundation, CommuniCare is a year-long, student directed program that allows a student group to become a “mini-foundation” and gift grant money to nonprofits they think will make our city a better place. This group will decide on their service topic, mission and values, read grant applications from real nonprofits, interview nonprofit representatives, and gift up to $15,000 to organizations they select.