Sophia Announces 2021 Women of Wisdom

Sophia Academy is thrilled to be celebrating Stacey Abrams, Toots Zynsky, and Latsany Lopez as our 2021 Women of Wisdom. This honor recognizes women who exemplify Sophia’s core values of courage, responsibility, respect, and peace. 

“Despite the tremendous challenges of the past year, we have so much to celebrate,” said Maura Farrell, Head of School. “Stacey, Toots and Latsany have inspired our Sophia community, and this is our way of saying thank you. Thank you for fighting for justice for all. Thank you for supporting girls’ education. And thank you for modeling true leadership for our students. We are thrilled to celebrate the groundbreaking ways in which our Women of Wisdom have created positive change using their inherent talents and wisdom – just as we hope our students will one day.”  

The event will feature interviews from the three honorees, conducted by Sophia students and WPRI’s Kim Kalunian. Hosted by WPRI’s Ted Nesi, the event will be on May 3, 2021 at 6p.m.

Attendance is free, but advance registration is required. Please visit the Women of Wisdom Celebration page to reserve your ticket and submit a story for the Who’s Your Woman of Wisdom Campaign. To date, our community has submitted the stories of 87 personal women of wisdom. 

Past Women of Wisdom honorees include Suzanne Murray, Joan Wernig Sorensen, Anne Szostak, Liz Chace, Suzanne Magaziner, and Sister Mary Reilly. 

Stacey Abrams

Stacey Abrams is a renowned voting rights activist, politician, lawyer, and a New York Times bestselling author. Sophia is honored to recognize Stacey for her tremendous commitment to social justice and for her work to promote fair elections.   

Toots Zynsky

Toots Zynsky is an internationally acclaimed artist based in Providence, who is celebrated for her use of color and innovative process of manipulating glass in distinct and unique ways. Sophia is honored to recognize Toots for her political activism, commitment to providing high-quality education to all students, and her dedication to the mission of Sophia Academy.

Latsany Lopez, Class of 2015

Latsany Lopez is sophomore biotechnology major at the University of Rhode Island. A graduate of Sophia Academy and Classical High School, Latsany is the first Sophia alumna to return as a mentor. Sophia is honored to recognize Latsany’s academic accomplishments, and selfless support of Sophia students, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic.  

Many Thanks to our Sponsors!

This event is made possible by our many sponsors. Please visit our sponsor highlight page for the full list of generous sponsors: https://www.sophia-academy.org/21wowsponsors. We are grateful for their support!

If you are interested in a Women of Wisdom sponsorship, please email Tom at tkerrvanderslice@sophia-academy.org for more information.

Sophia Presents At National Coalition of Girls Schools’ Symposium

On February 2, Head of School Maura Farrell, Director of Middle School Melissa Moniz, and SophiaCorps member Diamond Rivera ’12 presented at the National Coalition of Girls’ Schools’ Virtual Educating Girls Symposium, Building Inclusive, Anti-Racist School Communities. 

Their presentation, entitled “Reflecting Wisdom in the Girls – Designing Around Lived Experience,” shared how Sophia Academy designs our educational approach to reflect and celebrate each student’s identity. The workshop used programs and practices built at Sophia Academy, such as SophiaCorps, to exemplify this immersive strategy.  

Ms. Farrell and Mrs. Moniz guided attendees to consider students’ contexts (racial backgrounds, neighborhoods, family life, gender, educational histories, etc.) as the initial step before designing any curricula or lessons. They guided participants through the ‘Who before What?’ framework, focusing on students’ contexts and acknowledging each girls’ inner wisdom in order to create an educational space that is relevant, engaging, and joyful for all students.  

Mrs. Moniz impressed the impact this makes on a girl’s middle school education:  

“With her at the center, she is encouraged to challenge what she reads, hears, and sees, she is given the tools to express herself in ways that fits her. And she discovers and embraces her unique gifts, alongside her Sophia sisters. She recognizes that she is valuable and worthy of relationships where she will uplift, and she will be uplifted as well. 

There is no joy like the joy one feels when one becomes aware of and finds strength in the color of her skin and the roots of her hair.” 

Ms. Rivera shared her experience at Sophia, citing the difference she experienced when she transitioned into 5th grade at Sophia Academy. She shared how the comfort and freedom of recognizing shared life experiences with both peers and teachers allowed her to find comfort in her own experience at its core: “It was because of the enrichment happening at Sophia and the relentless efforts about caring about the girl as an individual, more than as a number, that had me ready to bust out of the Sophia bubble and do so well [after 8th grade].” 

The presentation challenged participants to consider further incorporation of social justice materials that support and empower young women of color, leaning into challenging issues of racism, sexism, and poverty. 

Finally, they presented on Sophia Academy’s new SophiaCorps program to encourage attendees to consider their schools’ impact upon the wider world. Recognizing the challenges of their own communities, how can their missions be widened beyond their four walls? For Sophia, that was recognizing the need for more teachers of color in Rhode Island, providing students with the opportunity to learn from educators who understand their lived experience and connect to their cultural strengths and beliefs. 

Sophia Featured on National Podcast

Our Head of School Maura Farrell recently shared Sophia Academy’s bold philosophy of education on the National Coalition of Girls Schools podcast alongside Head of School Jadi Taveras from Esperanza Academy (MA). Ms. Farrell discussed how Sophia Academy is replacing traditional educational constructs with a holistic approach that values our students’ experiences, their agency, and places relationship first. Give it a listen!! 

Sophia Academy ensures that in face of all challenges, students receive an education that is filled with rigor, support, and joy. 

As Maura Farrell concluded in the podcast interview:  “Success for Sophia Academy is each graduate following the pathway that she chooses to follow, and that she is engaged in the community and fulfilled in her relationships and career.” 

Thank you for helping us ensure that every Sophia Academy student can determine her own pathway to success.  

 You can listen to it on the NCGS website here or find it via Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Google Play.

SophiaCorps: Extending the Mission

We are delighted to welcome four SophiaCorps members to our team of teaching professionals this year! The pilot year of the SophiaCorps program was launched this fall in partnership with the Notre Dame Mission Volunteers and AmeriCorps, and has already reaped rewards.

SophiaCorps members supervise students while teachers virtually stream into the classes, helping create self-contained groups. All four are Sophia Academy graduates, providing an additional path to supporting the growth of alumnae.

“We see it as a way to extend our mission and to develop a public purpose by sharing our social justice driven curriculum, responsive teaching practices, and holistic approach with people who aspire to work in schools or youth development programs,” says Maura Farrell, Head of School. “The best part is that they connect so beautifully with our students, who can see themselves and their futures in these strong, dedicated, accomplished mentors who are pursuing their own passions and contributing to the community.”

The members of the inaugural class of SophiaCorps are: Kia Lebron '14; Diamond Rivera '12; Katherine Tejada '16; and Yanelly Tejada '13.

“When I graduated from Sophia Academy, I realized that I had discovered I was worth the effort, and when I went to other schools without the same values I got upset because I knew what I was receiving did not match what I was worth,” shares Diamond Rivera. “Part of the reason I returned to the school is to help each girl know that she matters.”

Please join us in welcoming Kia, Diamond, Katherine and Yanelly!

Katherine Tejada '16

Kia Lebron '14

Diamond Rivera '12

Yanelly Tejada '13

"I feel happy and proud that we are making a change in this world."

A Historic Moment

Students, faculty and staff came together this morning to recognize a historical moment in our country’s history. This past Saturday, Kamala Harris became the first Black American, Asian American, and woman to be elected to the second highest office in the United States. This was prefaced by news that Rhode Island elected the most diverse group of state legislators in Rhode Island’s history last week; Maria Rivera has become the first woman elected Mayor of Central Falls; and Tiara Mack became the first openly LGBTQ person of color elected to the State Senate. 

For Sophia Academy, an all-girls school delivering a social-justice education to a student body where over 90% identify as women of color, this is a uniquely notable moment in history for our students. As Sophia Academy Head of School Maura Farrell shared with students, these are major steps forward and cause for celebration for all women, girls, and our country as whole.

What this means to our community:  

Kashley (sixth grade): “I feel happy and proud that we are making a change in this world. And that maybe soon, one day, all women, all women of color, and all people of color, we will make a big change: that everything will be equal for each other with no differences.” 

Mia (sixth grade): “I feel confident that people are going to keep fighting for women’s rights and that there will be more freedoms for us women. Women know what it’s like not to have freedom and women will provide for gender equality more than men, because women already have that experience.”

Saige (sixth grade): “I feel really good and confident about it. When we grow up, we want to be confident women that can do anything that we put our minds to, and we can prove to men that we’re not just someone to push around or phonies.  I want to be a successful, proud woman [because] I am Black.”

Aurie (sixth grader): “With Kamala as the Vice President, she can be a louder voice than us and stand up for us. I think it will make all people of color, women and different races feel safe.” 

Sa’qure (sixth grade): “Its not only Black people going through struggles – there are a lot of other races out there that go through the same things. Just because girls go through different routines as boys, doesn’t make it so that they can’t do this, because they do that. If you put your mind to it, you can do it. And if a person puts their mind to it, you can’t judge them if you told them they can do it.” 

Sister Mary, Founder: “Isn’t it incredible? Joe Biden made a deliberate choice – he made a historical moment. To look up and see her, our girls must see pieces of themselves in her. When Kamala first spoke after accepting the nomination, she was the only one who mentioned the Beloved Community.  It was really beautiful to see that combination of people and backgrounds on that stage Saturday night.”

Image: Designed by Sophia Academy Class of 2020 to celebrate the hundredth anniversary of the passing of the 19th Amendment.

Giving Voice: Circles of Support

Amidst great uncertainty, children across Rhode Island returned to school in September. They entered familiar buildings to find alien circumstances. Buzzing hallways, casual hello’s during passing periods, social encounters at lockers, spontaneous gatherings over lunch, and games at recess have been replaced by strict processes and diagrammed movements. Meanwhile, many students remained as virtual learners, observing their friends and peers on screens from afar.

Everything has been scripted, sterilized, and separated for safety’s sake. It continues to feel unfamiliar, uncomfortable, and unnatural—because it is.

We need to create space to talk about this change with our students.

This is a time that requires us to act on behalf of our youth and to recognize the importance of their overall wellness. At Sophia Academy, many of our families were already managing financial hardship prior to the pandemic; the last months have piled on additional concerns: illness and loss, unemployment, food and housing insecurity, increased community violence.

Those of us who have embraced educating our youth must address the newness of our world, not just academic losses. More than anything, the value of school this year lies in working diligently and intentionally to provide children space to share about their lives, mourn what once was, and prepare for what is.

Those conversations do not happen in a single meeting, or through texts, emails, and slides. Rather, they occur through prioritizing relationships and holding regular and consistent spaces for students to process, verbalize, and integrate their experiences. The emotional impact of this pandemic is not yet fully understood and may not be for some time. We must work to lessen whatever negative emotional impacts will surface by providing the time and space to share and witness.

Last year at Sophia Academy, we created Student Support Circles. Co-led by a clinician and a restorative justice instructor, Circles became an essential and welcomed addition to the weekly curriculum. In the spirit of caring for our students’ social and emotional well-being and mental health, these intentional conversations fill an often-overlooked segment in the world of adolescent development.

Each group was designed to provide the structure and safety needed to withstand powerful emotions, to approach and address peer conflict and to share hidden traumas and stress. Talking about our inner lives is a skill that must be taught and learned just like math and science. These circles provide a structured space for our students to practice and to avoid internalizing the stress and trauma they have experienced. Mental wellness shifted from an add-on or opt-in service and transitioned to an integral part of their educational experience.

It is essential for every school in Rhode Island and beyond to create these spaces for students to share their feelings and experiences. Adopt them as part of advisory, home room or even in a classroom setting. Ask students to listen to each other, to find commonality, and to voice how their lives have changed. Let us meet this challenge head on and find opportunities to establish something that will inevitably make our educational spaces better for everyone.

Written by Rose Randall-Hicks, MSW, LICSW, Director of Student Support at Sophia Academy

Note: Interested in learning more about the impact of social emotional learning on a student’s success? This recent study, focusing in on 9th graders in Chicago Public Schools, examines the causal relationships between social emotional indicators and their longer term effects on student development.

What is a Social Justice School?

As we prepare to welcome Sophia Academy students back into school for the first time since March, our commitment to equity and social justice that we articulated in June remains a defining principle of our work. Leading into the first day of school, we asked Sophia Academy’s faculty to share what “teaching through a social justice lens“ means for their subjects and curriculum:  

Eighth Grade Seminar

Our hope and expectation is that our girls will realize they possess the power to change their communities through tackling real-world problems that arise from inequity and marginalization. 8th Grade Seminar supports students in becoming informed and empowered adults and citizens; displaying that empowerment through their active community engagement, level of responsibility, and acts of courage, respect and self-reflection, all of which leads to wisdom.

Sophia Academy Seminar teachers are Dean of Students April Samuels and Mr. Rob T. Jones

Girls Coalition

Girls Coalition is a class in which seventh graders work together to stand together in solidarity with one another as we explore our own identities and express who we are. The themes for the year include identity, feminism and affirming one’s self and others. The heart of this class is the belief that: 1) We can be loyal and compassionate toward one another; 2) We can understand stereotypes and messages that encourage us to undermine each other; and 3) We choose to support one another when given the chance to think critically about the inequities that we face, and to take action against these inequities.

Girls Coalition teachers are Head of School, Maura Farrell, and SophiaCorps member Diamond Rivera.

Language Arts 

In Language Arts at Sophia Academy, social justice questions and themes weave through the stories we read—stories that are often focused on strong characters whose journeys, challenges, and triumphs reflect those of our students. Additionally, through upholding rigorous expectations of our students as readers, writers, and thinkers, we give them the tools they will need to recognize and respond to injustice effectively and as leaders in their communities. 

Sophia Academy Language Arts Teacher is Dr. Hillary Greene Nolan

Science

A Sophia Academy scientist uses observation and reasoning skills to make conclusions that are grounded in facts and evidence.  To this process, she applies the background knowledge of her own unique experiences to build an understanding of the world.  Teaching Science through a social justice lens encourages a student to be an informed member of society who applies her science literacy to enact change that she wants to see in her world.      

Sophia Academy Science teacher is Ms. Alyssa Wood

Social Studies 

In this course, we will be taking an intellectual journey into Social Studies through heuristic writing. The central crux of the humanities is to look at culture and civilization through a critical lens and to this end, this class will be used to foster dialogue between the past and the present. We will examine this through a subaltern lens, listening to marginalized Other voices and exploring the full histories of a wide range of cultures, beyond their intersection with White European history.

Sophia Academy Social Studies teacher is Ms. Nilofar Syed

Math

Sophia Academy’s math curriculum challenges students to think analytically and creatively to evaluate information and design solutions to complex problems. By utilizing a variety of teaching and learning methods to understand algebra, geometry and the foundations of mathematics, we embrace this subject as an opportunity for students to develop their growth mindsets. We also ensure that students see math and science as realistic pathways forward, connecting them to local role models and mentors who have succeeded as women of color in fields related to math and science. 

Sophia Academy Math teachers are Director of Middle School Mrs. Melissa Moniz, Mr. Keith Barbera and Ms. Emily Fisher

Day of Action and Concern Against Racism

After months of distance learning and just days before the school year ended, we learned the names and stories of Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor and George Floyd; injustice and racism in our country were exposed yet again. 

Social studies classes at Sophia Academy provide a forum for discussing, analyzing, and responding to current events; seventh and eighth graders in particular were raising questions, making connections, and expressing a desire to work for change. As protests and riots began to unfold, students were grappling with grief, anger, and confusion. They wanted to express themselves, and they wanted to act. 

Undeterred by distance learning constraints, the faculty and staff mobilized quickly to organize a virtual Day of Action & Concern Against Racism for Friday, June 5. Social studies teacher Nilofar Syed invited seventh and eighth grade volunteers to co-author a statement on behalf of Sophia students. The entire student body wholeheartedly endorsed the statement, which provided a framework for the Day of Action.  

Over the course of the day, students, faculty, and staff engaged in workshops designed to unite the community and provide space for the students to put their beliefs and experience into words. Along with Dean of Students, April Samuels, community organizer and educational consultant Rob T. Jones led a workshop exploring movements and activism, entitled "A Call to Action: What's in Your Toolbox?" Language Arts teacher Hillary Greene Nolan designed "Our Voice Our Words," empowering teams of students to collectively express their observations, emotions, and hopes. In "The Justice Garden," students joined art teacher Lynne DeBeer in painting stones with images, words, names, and messages; the stones will provide the basis for a new garden space on Sophia's campus. 

In a powerful closing assembly at the end of the day, a fifth grade student read aloud to a captive audience the affirming, challenging, and inspiring statements emerging from the day. Their collective words were powerful as they captured the world around them and the changes they can lead. 

Reflecting on the day, Director of Middle School Melissa Moniz said, "At Sophia, we believe it’s important to give our students a space where they can express themselves and listen to each other. We teach through a social justice lens so that they understand the world we live in.  And, we hope to give them a sense of agency so that they can choose the issues and challenges that inspire them to learn and see themselves as changemakers. The Day of Action and Concern is just one example.  At Sophia, we will continue to have these conversations as a community."

Our Voice, Our Words - Student Poetry from the day of Action

We feel sadness 
We want everyone to be treated equal 
We see people protesting  for their rights 
We see people being treated differently because of the color of their skin 
We can be the change 
We need to listen 
We  want people to understand that this is not a joke 
We need to use our voices to make this world a better place

Congratulations to the Class of 2020!

We were excited to celebrate the journeys and accomplishments of the Class of 2020.

Graduates received their diploma from Ms. Maura Farrell, Head of School, and Mrs. Melissa Moniz, Director of Middle School in individual outdoor ceremonies with their families.

A celebration of their graduation and award distribution was held in the evening via Zoom.

To learn more about the Sophia Academy Class of 2020, please view their webpage.

Listen to young people of color

LISTEN to young people of color

We at Sophia Academy are outraged and grief stricken at the senseless killings of Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, George Floyd, and countless other Black and Brown Americans who have suffered through centuries of racism and violence.

It is imperative that we listen to the voices of our youth of color and follow their lead as they take action against injustice. Today, Friday, June 5, our students, faculty, and staff are engaging in a Day of Action & Concern Against Racism. We will be guided in our work by the following statement, written by Sophia seventh graders Leonaije and Alayna, and eighth grader Ju’elle, and endorsed by the entire student body:

On behalf of the students at Sophia Academy, we are fully aware of what is going on in society. We have been impacted by police brutality and the riots around us. Sophia has been holding meetings as a safe space for us to talk about the protests and everything that is happening. We think it is crucial in our community to make a difference, especially by sharing what’s going on with others. As a school filled with minority students, we think it’s important to share all the brutality going on, since we are a little closer to the topic. 

Such as how Breonna Taylor was shot 8 times by the police while she was sleeping in her own apartment. George Floyd was murdered by the police because he allegedly used a counterfeit 20-dollar bill. He was screaming “I can’t breathe.” When he was screaming, the police were ignoring him. Eric Garner was choked to death by the police. His last words were “I can’t breathe” as well. They died six years apart, but not much has changed. When someone says they can’t breathe, we need to respect that they aren’t getting any air. Trayvon Martin’s violent death kickstarted the Black Lives Matter Movement. If nothing happens, we have to be the change. There are so many others as well.  

Although the riots have happened before now, they are resurfacing because racism has always been there. Due to people not listening while people are peacefully protesting, all the looting and riots are being escalated for attention. Looting and breaking into stores is bad, and not making a difference. We honestly don’t know why people are destroying local stores for no reason. People are taking advantage of the situation to steal things from the stores.  

We feel mixed emotions: scared, mad, angry, frustrated and more. We feel like this world is getting worse every single day. Everything is impacting us. After hundreds of deaths, this is still not people’s main priority. You never know what can happen next. There is no need for the violence; it doesn’t solve anything. We should be more peaceful than violent. 

It is important for us to know these things and what is going on. We need to have a voice. If we keep ignoring it, nothing is going to change from generation to generation. Stay safe.

We encourage all members of the community to join us as we seek to dismantle racism and promote social justice. We look forward to sharing our students’ ideas after the Day of Action & Concern, and invite you to review this list of anti-racism resources on the Sophia Academy website.

Courage. Respect. Responsibility. Peace.

Escucha a los jóvenes de color

Nosotros en la Academia Sophia estamos indignados y afligidos por los asesinatos sin sentido de Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, George Floyd, y muchos otros estadounidenses negros y marrones que han sufrido siglos de racismo y violencia.

Es imperativo que escuchemos las voces de nuestra juventud de color y sigamos su ejemplo mientras se toman medidas contra la injusticia. Hoy, viernes 5 de junio, nuestras estudiantes, profesores y personal participan en un Día de Acción y Preocupación contra el Racismo. Nos guiaremos en nuestro trabajo por la siguiente declaración, escrita por estdiantes de Sophia Leonaije y Alayna de séptimo grado, y Ju’elle de octavo grado, y respaldada por todo el alumnado.

En nombre de las estudiantes de la Academia Sophia, somos plenamente conscientes de lo que está sucediendo en la sociedad. Nos ha afectado la brutalidad policial y los disturbios que nos rodean. Sophia ha estado celebrando reuniones como un espacio seguro para que podamos hablar sobre las protestas y todo lo que está sucediendo. Creemos que es crucial en nuestra comunidad hacer la diferencia, especialmente compartiendo lo que está sucediendo con los demás. Como una escuela llena de estudiantes minoritarias, creemos que es importante compartir toda la brutalidad que ocurre, ya que estamos un poco más cerca del tema.

Por ejemplo, la policía disparó 8 veces a Breonna Taylor mientras dormía en su propio departamento. George Floyd fue asesinado por la policía porque supuestamente utilizó un billete falsificado de 20 dólares. Estaba gritando "No puedo respirar". Cuando estaba gritando, la policía lo ignoraba. Eric Garner fue ahogado por la policía. Sus últimas palabras fueron: "No puedo respirar" también. Murieron con seis años de diferencia, pero no ha cambiado mucho. Cuando alguien dice que no puede respirar, debemos respetar que no reciben aire. La violenta muerte de Trayvon Martin inició el movimiento Black Lives Matter. Si no pasa nada, tenemos que ser el cambio. También hay muchos otros.

Aunque los disturbios ocurrieron antes, ahora están resurgiendo porque el racismo siempre ha estado ahí. Debido a que la gente no escucha mientras la gente protesta pacíficamente, todos los saqueos y disturbios se están intensificando para llamar la atención. Saquear e irrumpir en las tiendas es malo y no hace la diferencia. Sinceramente, no sabemos por qué la gente está destruyendo las tiendas locales sin ningún motivo. La gente se aprovecha de la situación para robar cosas de las tiendas.

Sentimos emociones encontradas: miedo, furia, enojo, frustración y más. Sentimos que este mundo está empeorando cada día. Todo nos está impactando. Después de cientos de muertes, esta todavía no es la principal prioridad de las personas. Nunca se sabe lo que puede pasar después. No hay necesidad de la violencia; No resuelve nada. Deberíamos ser más pacíficos que violentos.

Es importante para nosotros saber estas cosas y lo que está sucediendo. Necesitamos tener una voz. Si seguimos ignorándolo, nada va a cambiar de generación en generación. Mantenganse a salvo.

Alentamos a todos los miembros de la comunidad a unirse a nosotros mientras buscamos desmantelar el racismo y promover la justicia social. Esperamos compartir las ideas de nuestras estudiantes después del Día de Acción y Preocupación, y lo invitamos a revisar esta lista de recursos contra el racismo en el sitio web de la Academia Sophia.