It was more than a school field trip. Students and teachers from Mother Seton Academy visited the Seton Shrine in March for a special gathering where they walked in Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton’s footsteps and learned how they fit into her legacy of Catholic education.
For 30 years, Mother Seton Academy has served the needs of Baltimore’s Catholic families. Established in 1993, the academy is a tuition-free middle school (grades 6 through 8) that offers a holistic quality education to young women and men who could not otherwise afford such an education. The school family is built on respect and rooted in the Gospel.
Board chair, Sister Mary Frances Hildenberger, DC said, “I represent the Daughters of Charity which is one of the sponsoring congregations who founded Mother Seton Academy. We trace our commitment to Catholic education in Baltimore back to Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton, our patron. In 1808, soon after arriving from New York City, she opened her tuition-free school on Paca Street, just a few short miles away from where MSA is alive and flourishing.”
MSA provides an extended day program Monday through Friday that includes individual tutoring, help with homework and many extracurricular opportunities. There are 10-15 students per class and most classes are taught in a single-sex environment, key factors in providing a unique learning atmosphere. Support is also provided to students as they travel through high school and beyond. The Graduate Support Program helps eighth graders apply for financial aid and attain admission to strong local high schools. The program extends through high school graduation and further education.
The school’s statistics speak volumes. One hundred percent of the graduates are accepted and enrolled in private or selective public high schools; 99 percent earned a high school diploma; and 78 percent have enrolled in college upon completion of high school.
“The school depends on the generosity of faithful donors who believe in MSA and its contribution to the future of Baltimore, of the Church, and of the world. We are constantly committed to spreading the good news about this gem in urban Baltimore,” said Sister Mary Frances.