Episcopal Identity

Girls in Middle and Upper Schools attend Chapel every day. Amid busy schedules, Chapel allows students, faculty, and guests to pause and come together to sing, pray, and reflect. The daily community-wide gathering is a favorite moment of the day.

Girls in Early Childhood and Lower School attend Chapel once a week. This community gathering includes songs, prayer, and guest speakers in an age-appropriate learning environment for girls. Chapel talks reinforce our character education program, the Bridge to Caring.

The eight characteristics are part of the fabric of St. Mary's and include respect, responsibility, thankfulness, kindness, self-control, honesty, courage, and cooperation.

In 7th grade, all students take a service-focused course, Community Connections. The class is a partnership with MIFA, a local nonprofit that supports vulnerable seniors and families. Students learn from MIFA leaders about the challenges facing the Memphis area, such as homelessness, food insecurity, and health inequity, and how MIFA works to address these issues. The students also participate in service projects like volunteering for MIFA’s programs and organizing donation drives.

Our faith calls us to service. In Lower School religion classes, students learn to embody their faith in many ways, including helping those in need. The students organize service projects to benefit local nonprofits. Our curriculum allows girls to understand community needs and how they can be part of the solution. The girls recently organized a successful food drive for the Mid-South Food Bank.

Chapel Services include reflections and lessons from religious and civic leaders, alumnae, and faculty. The student-led chapel committee helps guide the daily service and selects guest speakers. Each senior prepares and delivers a speech about a topic of her choosing.

Fourth-grade students lead the weekly Lower School chapel service. While this is a special privilege and responsibility for the students, the practice teaches girls key skills. Through this experience, girls gain confidence in public speaking, practice and prepare ahead of time, collaborate with their peers, and learn the difference between leading and performing.