3.  Local Bookstore or Online Vendor

Students can opt to purchase their school books through a local bookstore or online book dealer, such as Amazon.com. Start by obtaining the ISBN numbers for the required books from the Fontbonne Academy website.  If you purchase any books or supplies on Amazon.com, start at the Fontbonne Academy website and follow the link to Amazon.com.  Fontbonne will receive six percent of all sales that begin at the Fontbonne Academy website.   

If you have any questions about purchasing books, please contact Mrs. Herbert (for used books) aherbert@fontbonneacademy.org  or Mrs. Lathrop (for new books)  flathrop@fontbonneacademy.org.     

Fan Liu '16 stands with her science project at the Southeast Regional Science Fair in March.

Fan Liu, a freshwoman at Fontbonne Academy, recently won third place in the Massachusetts Science & Engineering Fair, which was held at MIT the first weekend of May, and received a $40,000 scholarship from Suffolk University. Fan placed second in March at the Massachusetts Regional Science Fair at Bridgewater State University and earned her spot in the competition. "This science fair is the premier fair in the state, and Fan's accomplishment is tremendous," said her sponsor at Fontbonne, Chairperson of the Science Department, Bob Birch.

"My science fair project was titled, "Targeted Inhibition of Melanocytes and Melanoma Cells in Zebrafish," wrote Fan. "My project was focused on melanoma, one of the most lethal forms of skin cancer, since it has a survival rate of 6-12 months. I was testing a novel set of compounds that could efficiently stop tumor growth, as compared to traditional (and life-threatening) chemotherapy. I tested these in zebrafish, which are good cancer models, and also in human melanoma cells. My results suggested that these compounds could potentially stop the growth of melanoma since the percentage of melanoma cells dramatically decreased after treatment. I conducted my research at the Zon Lab at Boston Children's Hospital."

Fan's self-motivated study of melanoma and her achievements at such a young age are impressive.  Her drive to study came from her 8^th grade science fair project, which focused on the mutation of fruit flies by ultraviolet light, and led her to reaching out to local professors to ask if she could use their labs to continue her studies, to evaluate alternative treatments for skin cancer.  Aware that chemotherapy was a harsh course for most people, she was interested in learning whether other inhibitors could be of greater value in the fight against melanoma.

Fortuitously, Dr. Leonard Zon, who works at Children's Hospital in oncology research, said yes to Fan.  She was able to spend two afternoons per week in the bustling Children's Hospital lab studying targeted treatments for melanoma, using human genes that were placed in zebra fish.  She was paired with a mentor and worked there ten hours per week.

 "I want to study biology, be a scientist, and cure cancer," she said, beaming. Already two years ahead of her peers in science, and with all her talent, intellectual curiosity, and drive, all bets are on Fan Liu to lead the way.

Seniors and their Social Justice Projects filled the foyer, library and cafeteria during the annual Social Justice Fair.  Above, senior Roisin Henry stands with her project on teen depression.

Research projects by Fontbonne Academy seniors were showcased at the school's sixth annual Social Justice Fair on March 28.   The yearlong projects were displayed around the school during the fair, which gives the public and students in the lower grades the chance to learn about a wide range of topics.  Each senior is asked to select a topic that represents a social injustice and to research it, advocate for change, and report on it at the Social Justice Fair.  

 

"We ignite the fire of social justice in our students, and they carry it well beyond Fontbonne, out into the world," Ms. Barnes said. "Many students pursue this passion well beyond their days at Fontbonne Academy."

 

The students' subjects included hunger in America, breast cancer awareness, teen depression, and eating disorders.  Many students chose topics that have affected their lives.

 

 

A student looks at nail polish that was distributed to view as a potential carcinogen during a breast cancer discussion entitled, "Breast Cancer and the Environment," given by seniors Emily Nagle and Kathleen Tansey.

Senior Brittney Cahill gave a presentation at the Social Justice Fair on mental illness. 

The Afternoon of the Arts on Sunday, April 28 celebrated the Arts at Fontbonne.  Above, Courtney Wells stands with her AP Art portfolio.

Little Women 

French and Spanish Honor Societies Induction

Members of the Fontbonne Academy Select Chorus and several other students, all upper classwomen, were given the opportunity to see some of the wonderful sights of Italy during the April vacation week.   Musical team Mr. Douglas Anderson and Mrs. Carol Fortier, along with several parents and friends, accompanied the students.  The large group spent several days seeing the sights, traveling from Naples to the ruins of Pompeii, to Sorrento, Positano, and the Amalfi Coast and finally Rome and the Vatican.

The chorus sang in many venues, but the highlight of the trip was the opportunity to perform during a Mass at St. Peter's Basilica.  "Singing at the Vatican was something I will never forget," said senior Emma Byrne.  The Chorus also performed at The Church of Santa Maria Maggiore alla Pietrasanta in Naples, where  Mrs. Fortier, Mr. Anderson, and the chorus were presented with a CD of the church's choir, a beautiful book detailing the history of the local group, and the emblem of the region of Campania.  In Rome, in addition to singing at the Vatican, they also sang at St. Paul's Within the Walls in Rome for a packed audience.

With the splendor of ancient Rome, the marvel that is Vatican City, and the beauty of the Amalfi Coast, none of the Fontbonne travelers wanted to leave.  "I love to organize at least one memorable trip each year for our choruses so they can see the world and perform in some spectacular venues," said chairperson of the Music Department, Carol Fortier, "Our choruses have performed at Disney and even the White House, but this was very meaningful because it connected so deeply to our faith."

Fontbonne Academy hosted the first-of-its-kind "Ducks in Service" Day on Wednesday, April 24, sending out the entire junior class and senior members of the National Honor Society to do service at eight different locations ranging from a school to a nursing home to the Fontbonne convent.  The objective of the day was to extend Fontbonne's reach in service, helping others, which ties directly into Fontbonne's mission. 

Specific service sites included: Eventide Nursing Home, St. Agatha School, Brookview House, Cradles 2 Crayons, Germantown Neighborhood Center, Casserly House, The Women's Table and the Fontbonne Convent.   After beginning the day with a prayer, the teams of students dispersed to their respective locations and juniors were led by senior N.H.S. officers in service activities.

The students served in many capacities depending upon the needs of the organization. Some students weeded, while others played games and entertained the elderly.  Some organized closets and stocked food pantries, and yet others led younger students in anti-bullying workshops. Upon their return to Fontbonne, students reflected on their service in groups and developed posters which summarized, through imagery, their experiences and insights from the day.  

Students were moved by the day and reflected on serving those in need, or the "dear neighbor" as it is called in the Fontbonne mission, or charism.  Fontbonne instills in its students the tenets of respect, reverence, responsibility, and reconciliation and the reflections stirred up the many facets of these commitments. 

"We are thrilled with the day's events," said Head of School, Mary Ellen Barnes.  "The first Ducks in Service Day went off without a hitch thanks to the great planning of the National Honor Society Officers.  It was their idea and they made it happen."

Jessie Romelus '14, Breanne Norris '14, Kylie Noonan '14, and Jing Wang '14 worked in the Fontbonne Convent garden with Sister Mary Joan Lofgren, CSJ. 

Nathalie Pham '13, Emily Mazza '13, Kelsey Laforest '14, Alyson Churchill '14, Kaitlin O'Leary '14, Amanda McCullough '14, Christine Ortisi '14, Maddie McCarthy '14 and Jana Griffis '14  work at cleaning out a closet at the Germantown Neighborhood Center in Quincy.

Fontbonne Academy senior Julia Butts has been selected as a winner of a National Merit Scholarship.  Julia was selected as a Semifinalist last fall.  She fulfilled the competition requirements this past winter, which included submitting a detailed scholarship application and presenting a record of very high academic performance.   Julia was selected from approximately 1.5 million students who entered the 2013 National Merit Scholarship Program, of which only 16,000 students were named Semifinalists.  She is in a select group of the top 8,300 students in the nation to receive the award.

Among the top students in her senior class, Julia is a member of the prestigious National Honor Society, and is engaged in extracurricular activities ranging from Model UN Club (where she is secretary) to Fountain Friends (as co-president), to Admissions Ambassador Leader, to dancing in school performances.  Julia is a skilled dancer;   she has been dancing at the Dance Studio of Braintree for fifteen years and loves jazz, tap, ballet and point, and where she is assistant teacher as well.  In addition to her arduous workload at Fontbonne in mostly AP and Honors classes, Julia took on a class through Virtual High School in the fall called "Genes and Diseases," and rather than coast through her senior year, she took a course in the German language this spring.  Julia has a real strength in the sciences, and was given the STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) award from Massachusetts Maritime Academy last year. 

Julia recently masterminded a new effort at Fontbonne, called "Ducks in Service" which sent the entire junior class out into the local area to perform service and then to reflect on the day and the mission of  Fontbonne.  Over 110 students engaged in the effort and lent their talents and time to local organizations.  Although Julia is undecided on the direction of her studies, she hopes to explore international relations and life sciences.  She will bring enthusiasm, intelligence, and new ideas wherever she goes.  A spectacular student by any measure, Julia is headed to Yale University next year.