Why ‘Community’ at Mayfield is more than just an assembly
Any other high school would call this gathering an assembly—announcements, calendar items, club meeting times, sports updates. But this is Mayfield. We call our Monday morning school gathering “Community.” And we mean it.
It’s hard to have the Monday morning blues at Mayfield. At 10:40 a.m. sharp, 330 students drop their backpacks on the sidewalk and enter Pike Auditorium. Yes, a few appear a bit bleary-eyed; hair is typically tied up in messy buns or ponytails. If it’s chilly, students swathe themselves in fuzzy soft blankets. Yet the Monday chatter is always lively and students sink into Pike chairs as if they were plopping down on their couch at home.
“Every single time someone asks me about my favorite part about Mayfield, I tell them it is the community that we’ve developed,” said Student Body President Chloe Kessel ’19. “We have assembly every single Monday, but we call it community just because I think that we have a really strong bond with each other...it feels like we are one giant friend group.”
As ASB president, Chloe presides over the gathering. Our Technical Theatre Conservatory students queued the soundboard, fired up the mics and Community began!
This week’s agenda offered a robust look into the diversity of activities and interests at Mayfield:
First, the Pledge of Allegiance. Then, as we begin everything at Mayfield, students offered prayers for the new semester.
“Lord God, we thank you for this brand new semester...Grant us wisdom, that we may make the right choices, even when sacrifice is required.” Students read ten petitions that speak to their distinctly teenage lives, prayers written by freshman English teacher Julie Sanchez ’11.
Jackie Baca-Geary, from Huntington Hospital Blood Donor Center, took to the stage carrying a tall trophy. Mayfield, she reminds us, has won the blood donor challenge against other private schools for two consecutive years. Can we do it again? (We want a three-peat!)
Next up was SMEC, which stands for Student Mission Effectiveness Committee. Every month this mission-driven, enthusiastic group shows a student-produced video on the goals of our Holy Child education. It’s like a home movie—funny, poignant, meaningful and memorable. Do you know Goal Four? Watch the video and test your Holy Child knowledge.
Sophia Alvarez ’19 showed her “Actions Not Words” spirit. In her role as president of the Page Turners book club she invited all to participate in a book drive for the Book Foundation, a local non-profit that distributes books to children from low-income communities. As she extended this to members of our Mayfield community, we invite you to participate as well.
The World Languages Department celebrated “Student of the Month” achievements to loud rounds of applause. Check out the students on the list so far this year. Felicidades!
Then, a few minutes of messaging from Avery Arroyo ’19 of the Animal Rights Club. The deforestation of the Indonesian rainforest for farming to supply the world demand for palm oil has endangered the orangutan. Here’s the video explaining it.
The tone changed as costumed student models walked onto stage to announce Spirit Week theme days: Monday, seasons; Tuesday, time machine; Wednesday, denim; Thursday, squad day. Rehearse for Thursday’s Class Dance Off competition and get psyched for Friday’s Red and White games. Plus, sign up for the Talent Show!
In closing: Don’t forget the Booster Club BBQ, mandatory sophomore college night, the Campus Ministry Council meeting and Arts Council meeting.
That’s Mayfield Community.
Whew!
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Established in 1931, Mayfield Senior School in Pasadena, CA is a Catholic, independent, college preparatory school for young women grades 9-12. Noted for its rigorous academic program, which includes 28 Advanced Placement and Honors courses, Mayfield’s curriculum is underscored by a philosophy of educating the “whole child,” which also encourages commitment to and excellence in the arts, athletics, community service and spiritual growth. The nurturing environment at Mayfield Senior School allows each student to flourish in an atmosphere of personal attention.
