Mount St. Dominic Academy Celebrates International Day Of The Girl

The students of Mount St. Dominic Academy, the independent, Catholic college preparatory school for young women in Caldwell, marked the occasion of The International Day of the Girl 2023 with a field trip to the United Nations and an in-house assembly that welcomed Sarah Osembo, Co-Founder and CEO of Enda Athletic, Inc., as a guest speaker.

According to the United Nations website, “This year, at a time when we are seeing a range of movements and actions to curtail girls’ and women’s rights and roll back progress on gender equality, we see particularly harsh impacts on girls. From maternal health care and parenting support for adolescent mothers, to digital and life skills training; ... to survivor support services and violence prevention programmes; there is an urgent need for increased attention and resourcing for the key areas that enable girls to realize their rights and achieve their full potential.”

In today’s environment, and of particular relevance at a school for girls, it is more important than ever for us to come together to support women and girls in our society.

MSDA Attended the International Day of the Girl Summit at the UN

October’s International Day of the Girl (IDG), was a perfect time for Mount St. Dominic Academy to celebrate the IDG Summit’s theme “Invest in Girls’ Rights: Our Leadership and Wellbeing.” To do so, on October 10th, Christine Victori, who leads the Mount’s signature L.E.O. program, a two-year innovative and interactive class with a business curriculum fostering the core tenets of leadership, entrepreneurship, and opportunity, was invited to bring 16 juniors and seniors, who are part of the school’s Social Justice Concentration; Siena Seven student leadership team; the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Student Team; Diversity Club; and/or Justice Club to attend the Summit at the United Nations.

This year’s Summit theme was chosen as a reminder that girls’ rights continue to be neglected. Its message of “Girls have the capability to be the leaders and voice of tomorrow and need allies like you to stand with them,” was very impactful. As was the UN’s statement on its website stating, “Together with our government and civil society partners, UNICEF envisions a world where girls have space to shape government policy and spending to inform the rules and norms by which businesses should operate, and to direct the priorities for new research and innovations. These examples should not be novelties, but the norm.”

MSDA student and Secretary of Academics Ava Ciauro ‘24, a resident of North Caldwell who attended the Summit said, “The International Day of the Girl Child focuses attention on the need to address the challenges girls face and to promote girls’ empowerment and the fulfillment of their human rights. Girls are breaking boundaries and barriers posed by stereotypes and exclusion, including those directed at children with disabilities and those living in marginalized communities. Achieving gender equality and women’s empowerment is integral. Only by ensuring the rights of women and girls will we get to justice and inclusion, economies that work for all, and sustaining our shared environment now and for future generations.”

Victori said, “I was very impressed with the students’ takeaways and how they want to start implementing what they learned, immediately. It is so inspiring to see them want to change the world. I always say that in my world – they are changemakers!”

The Mount Held a Compelling International Day of the Girl Assembly

Mount student and Secretary of Inclusion Erin Araneta ‘24, of West Orange, was thrilled to be chosen as a moderator at the Summit. As a chat moderator at the UN, Erin asked participants questions pertaining to the live speakers’ discussion in the Zoom chat to stimulate conversations between virtual attendees across the globe. She said it was so impactful to read global participants’ different insights about girls’ well-being and investing in girls’ leadership based on their individual experiences, “which are so vastly different from ours.” The experience solidified her strong belief in the importance of diversity of thought.

An Empowering Guest Speaker Inspired All at the MSDA International Day of the Girl Assembly

Araneta introduced the MSDA IDG assembly guest speaker, Sarah Osembo, Co-Founder and CEO of Enda Athletic, Inc.,who delivered a powerfully inspiring 40-minute talk. Enda Athletic, Inc. is the first athletic performance footwear brand from Africa. To maximize positive social impact through sports, Osembo teamed up with her Co-Founder to create a brand that creates jobs, invests in local communities, and spurs economic development. In addition, Osembo is from a town near Eldoret, Kenya, which is known as the City of Champions that has produced generations of the world’s greatest distance runners. She also started a sports academy in rural Kenya that provides sports proteges from disadvantaged backgrounds access to much-needed professional training without compromising their education.

Osembo told the audience that their leadership is crucial, but that they won’t be able to “step into leadership” if they let “negative forces” get into their heads.” She said you “really have to get to know yourself.” She also advised the group to find good mentors.

During the Q & A segment, student Gabby Chipelo '24, of Nutley, was so inspired by Osembo that she said, “The table itself is rigged, it was never meant for us. We need to recognize that the system was never going to be fair for us. It will never be equal, and because of that, we ultimately need to create a new table. Destroy the table we already have. Create a system that benefits everyone. We can all coexist at a table that’s meant to represent who we all are.” Loud applause erupted. Chipelo was inspired by a quote by Shirley Anita Chisholm, an American politician, who in 1968, became the first black woman to be elected to the United States Congress,and is known for stating, “If they don’t give you a seat at the table, bring a folding chair.”

The students at Mount St. Dominic Academy are not only intent on changing the world – they plan on being the change that the world needs to see.

About Mount St. Dominic Academy

Mount St. Dominic Academy, established by the Sisters of St. Dominic, is an independent, Catholic college preparatory school dedicated to the education of young women from a variety of ethnic, religious and economic backgrounds. Located in the heart of bucolic Caldwell, New Jersey, the Mount has been empowering young women in the Dominican tradition since 1892. Mount St. Dominic Academy is a proud member of the New Jersey Association of Independent Schools, the International Coalition of Girls Schools, the Dominican Association of Secondary Schools, the National Catholic Educational Association and the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Visit www.msdacademy.org for more information.