Building Community is a core value of Ursuline education, and the opening weeks of the new school year have been especially robust with activities to celebrate the diverse heritage of our student body, faculty, and staff. School-wide events and opportunities for all have been posted on UA News, with grade-specific activities called out on class TEAM channels. And every Friday is Trivia Day, when students can answer questions about what they have learned and win prizes for correct responses!

Here are just a few highlights from the first six weeks of school:

Hispanic Heritage Month (September 15- October 15) – The theme for this year's Hispanic Heritage Month is "Esperanza: A Celebration of Hispanic Heritage and Hope,” Students are learning of the many contributions of the Latinx community, and fun and festive activities are being held on campus to mark this traditional celebration, including Salsa dance instruction in Neuhoff Gym and a closing Movie Night hosted by the UA Latinas Unidas.

Experiencing Belonging – What is belonging, and how do you experience it? Ursuline students are engaging in small group conversations (called Donutfast/Connect sessions and Cookie Lunchats) to explore how inclusion lives in every interaction that we have with one another. The Director of Community & Inclusion is also welcoming all interested students for one-to-one discussions as desired.

Mid-Autumn Festival (September 21) – Second only to the Chinese New Year in importance in China, Mid-Autumn Festival is also known as Moon Festival. It’s held on the 15th day of the 8th month in the Chinese calendar. The Asian Student Union and National Chinese Honor Society created Ursuline’s own festival in Fox Dining Hall during lunches on September 21, featuring special booths for calligraphy, delicious boba and moon cakes, and lantern making.

DADYO – Ursuline students have been invited to attend this school year’s first meeting of the Dallas Area Diversity Organization to be held at Parish Episcopal on October 21, Ursuline has been an active participant in DADYO and host school for a number of years. The organization promotes inclusion through monthly gatherings where students discuss pertinent societal issues, deepening their understanding and broadening perspective beyond their own.