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Are you smarter than a sixth grader? Discovering St. Ursula at Ursuline

Are you smarter than a sixth grader? Discovering St. Ursula at Ursuline

by Shannon Dufresne
 

Think you know St. Ursula? After a week of study and storytelling, Ursuline's sixth graders could probably lead the lesson.

As seniors prepared to receive their rings and the school community gathered to celebrate Ring Day, another special event was quietly underway in a sixth-grade classroom at the top of the ramp in the Arts building. The Class of 2032 was learning — and sharing — the story of Ursuline’s patroness, the courageous St. Ursula, whose feast day coincided with Ring Day 2025 and whose faith continues to inspire generations of Ursuline women.

Religion teacher Maureen Crowley designed an interactive lesson that blended learning, storytelling, and personal reflection. Her goal was to help the school’s newest students feel connected to the long tradition that culminates each fall when Ursuline honors its patroness and celebrates one of its most meaningful milestones: the senior Ring Day liturgy and ceremony.

Bringing faith to life in the classroom

To begin, Crowley introduced her students to St. Ursula's life through a presentation and short video, encouraging them to consider what it means to live with conviction, purpose, and faith in God. The legend tells of a young woman who, guided by faith, chose devotion over comfort — and inspired others to do the same.

Afterward, students reflected in their notebooks, describing how they would tell St. Ursula's story to someone unfamiliar with her. They wrote about the qualities they found most inspiring and how the saint’s courage may have been strengthened by her companions — just as she, in turn, inspired them.

From classroom to community

Crowley then invited her students to share what they had learned with faculty and staff. These brief, thoughtful conversations encouraged sixth graders to retell St. Ursula's story in their own words and to listen as others reflected on how her life continues to be a source of strength and inspiration.

Through those exchanges, students began to see how the lessons of St. Ursula’s life — faith in action, compassion for others and a sense of purpose — continue to guide daily life at The Ursuline School.

  • Faith & Spirituality
  • Middle School

More Connections

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