St. Teresa's Academy (Kansas City, Missouri)
Encyclopedia
St. Teresa's Academy is a Catholic
Catholic
The word catholic comes from the Greek phrase , meaning "on the whole," "according to the whole" or "in general", and is a combination of the Greek words meaning "about" and meaning "whole"...

, independent
Independent school
An independent school is a school that is independent in its finances and governance; it is not dependent upon national or local government for financing its operations, nor reliant on taxpayer contributions, and is instead funded by a combination of tuition charges, gifts, and in some cases the...

 college preparatory secondary school for young women in Kansas City
Kansas City, Missouri
Kansas City, Missouri is the largest city in the U.S. state of Missouri and is the anchor city of the Kansas City Metropolitan Area, the second largest metropolitan area in Missouri. It encompasses in parts of Jackson, Clay, Cass, and Platte counties...

, Missouri
Missouri
Missouri is a US state located in the Midwestern United States, bordered by Iowa, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Kansas and Nebraska. With a 2010 population of 5,988,927, Missouri is the 18th most populous state in the nation and the fifth most populous in the Midwest. It...

, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

. It was founded in 1866 by the Sisters of St. Joseph
Sisters of St. Joseph
The title Sisters of St. Joseph applies to several Roman Catholic religious congregations of women. The largest and oldest of these was founded in Le Puy-en-Velay, France...

 of Carondelet, and accredited in 1923.

History

St. Teresa's Academy was founded in 1866 at 12th and Washington in Kansas City's Quality Hill area and is sponsored by the Sisters of St. Joseph
Sisters of St. Joseph
The title Sisters of St. Joseph applies to several Roman Catholic religious congregations of women. The largest and oldest of these was founded in Le Puy-en-Velay, France...

 of Carondelet. It is the oldest school in Kansas City
Kansas City, Missouri
Kansas City, Missouri is the largest city in the U.S. state of Missouri and is the anchor city of the Kansas City Metropolitan Area, the second largest metropolitan area in Missouri. It encompasses in parts of Jackson, Clay, Cass, and Platte counties...

.

In 1909 the Sisters relocated St. Teresa's to a 20 acres (80,937.2 m²) site at 5600 Main. On the cornerstone of the first campus building the Sisters inscribed the words of St. Teresa of Avila and the motto of the Academy, "Deo Adjuvante Non Timendum" . They named the campus "Windmoor" because of the constant wind blowing across the open prairie.

In 1941 the Sisters added a second building, Donnelly Hall, which housed the city's first and college for women. In 1962 the college moved to the south part of Kansas City and became Avila College, later Avila University
Avila University
Avila University is a private university in Kansas City, Missouri sponsored by the Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet. It offers Bachelor's degrees in thirty-six majors and Master's degrees: Master of Science in Counseling Psychology, Master of Science in Counseling Psychology/Art Therapy, Master...

. In 1982 a gymnasium, the Goppert Center, was completed for the school's women's athletic program.
...

Academics

Over 100 different course selections are available. The school's rigorous college preparatory curriculum includes numerous Advanced Placement classes and Advanced College Credit classes in conjunction with Rockhurst University. The school's math team has been known to excel, as well. St. Teresa's has had a number of National Merit semifinalists, commended, finalists, and National Merit Scholars.
The Academy also offers a variety of highly-acclaimed classes in visual and performing arts. Students from STA have been known to excel both academically and in the arts.
St. Teresa's Academy's student newspaper, the Dart, has received numerous awards, as well as the school's yearbook, Teresian. DartNewsOnline, the website corresponding with the newspaper, received the title of "Pacemaker", the highest award from the National Scholastic Press Association, for the 2009-2010 school year, the same year the website was launched.

Athletics

The Academy fields athletic teams in basketball, soccer, volleyball, cross country, golf, track, softball, swimming, tennis, dance and lacrosse. The school is currently building a new track and field facility on campus that will be highlighted by an 8-lane Mondo surface track and field that is set up for girls soccer, lacrosse and softball. The Stars compete in the largest class of MSHSAA sports; most recently playing for district championships in soccer, basketball, golf, tennis, cross country and volleyball.

Notable alumnae

  • Kate Spade
    Kate Spade
    Kate Brosnahan Spade is the co-founder and namesake of the designer brand, Kate Spade New York .- Early life and beginnings :...

    , fashion designer
  • Lauren Fowlkes
    Lauren Fowlkes
    Lauren Ann Fowlkes is an American soccer player from Lee's Summit, Missouri. She is a defender for the United States U-23 women's national soccer team and the Philadelphia Independence of Women's Professional Soccer.-Collegiate career:...

    , defender United States U-23 Women's National Soccer Team and Philadelphia Independence
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