Princeton NJ Schools Articles

"Meaningful Involvement for Young People"

With summer activities winding down and the new school year almost here, students are free to focus on making this an academic year to remember.

“Despite all the shallow media messages that abound today, we know that young people really are interested in meaningful involvement,” said Anne Soos, Head of the Upper School at Stuart Country Day School of the Sacred Heart. “As adults and educators, we strive to create an environment where a girl's mind is what matters, where her achievements count and where what she believes in– as well as how she puts her beliefs into action – is more important than what she wears or what kind of cell phone she uses.”

How can students make the most of the opportunities a new school year presents? Stuart Country Day School of the Sacred Heart, along with the National Coalition of Girls' Schools, offer the following tips for teens:

• Have a sense of adventure. Maintain a "can-do" attitude. Dare to think differently. Update old habits and seek out new experiences.
• Be ready to lead. Make a difference. Start a club. Organize a fundraiser. Solve a problem. Make things happen.
• Get physical. Learn a new sport. Walk for a cause. Take tai-chi lessons. Run or jog with a friend.
• Sharpen your money skills. Keep a money journal. Make sense of your spending habits. Save loose change for a special purchase. Make a donation. Change the world.
• Add new friends at school. Say “hi” and start a conversation with one new person every week. No pressure. Just be friendly. Invite new people to have lunch with you.

Stuart Country Day School of the Sacred Heart serves 550 students – all girls grades K through 12 with a coeducational preschool program. The school admits students of any race, color, religion, national or ethnic origin to all the rights or privileges, programs and activities generally accorded or made available to students at the school. Stuart is accredited by the Middle-States Association of Colleges and Schools, and is a member of the International Network of the Sacred Heart, the National Association of Independent Schools, the New Jersey Association of Independent Schools, the National Coalition of Girls’ Schools, the Secondary School Admission Board, the College Board, the Education Records Bureau and the Association for Supervision and Curriculum. Find out more at www.stuartschool.org.

Founded in 1991, the National Coalition of Girls' Schools today represents 103 private and public single-sex schools across the United States. More than 44,000 girls attend NCGS member schools. Visit them online at www.ncgs.org.