Uplifting friends, comfort in the classroom, and lively hallways are just some of the many reasons that freshmen Madalena Benegas and Emily O’Donohue say that the Academy of Saint Elizabeth has a very positive atmosphere.

For Madi, starting high school at an all-girls high school was where she “felt most comfortable,” unlike Emily who could see herself at a co-ed high school. Despite their different perspectives, Madi and Emily agreed that an all-girls environment had more “camaraderie” and the “personalized education” was very attractive. Girls’ schools are not always looked upon in a positive light. When asked to describe how all-girls schools are viewed by teens in 2022, both Madi and Emily humorously offered their versions of shock and confusion. “We can just show up and no one is going to judge us for not having our hair or makeup done,” chimed in Kasey Desidero ‘25 with another comical, yet just as relevant view of all-girls schools. 

Many Academy students echo these values and sentiments, as they reflect on their own stories that led them to AOSE. The personal yet practical reasons that Madi, Emily, and Kasey detailed can be discovered in the friendly and relaxed atmosphere in the classrooms, or by asking anyone from our wonderful community to tell them a bit about their AOSE experience. 

Saint E’s–as many girls lovingly call it–is a microcosm of single-gender education, more casually known as all-girls or all-boys schools. Girls’ schools “foster increased interest and confidence in STEM [which] prepares girls for the real world [and to] have increased civic and political involvement,” according to the National Coalition for Girls’ Schools. While The Academy does pride itself on its rigorous and extremely fulfilling education, students find that the positive atmosphere and the “SEAsterhood” is just as enriching.