Angels in Action: AHA Students Unite for Annual Service Day

On Wednesday, the Holy Angels community once again demonstrated its deep commitment to compassion, service, and leadership during the school’s annual Service Day. Students from every grade level stepped away from their classrooms to engage in meaningful, hands-on service at a variety of local organizations. 

After a week of rain, the skies cleared just in time, blessing our Angels with a beautiful, sunny day to carry out their acts of service.

From trail restoration and food pantry support to early childhood education and creative outreach, AHA students brought energy, empathy, and excellence to every project.

Freshmen worked with Food Brigade in Clifton, assembling sandwiches, sorting donations, and organizing pantry items for those in need. Sophomores ventured to the Palisades Interstate Park in Alpine, where they rolled up their sleeves for trail maintenance and environmental care.

Our sophomores partnering with several community sites across New Jersey and New York. Some Angels tended gardens and trails at the Lorrimer Audubon Sanctuary in Franklin Lakes, while others helped serve meals and provided companionship at soup kitchens in Newark and Hoboken. At the Institute for Educational Achievement, students partnered with alumna Emma Quigley ’13, supporting children and adults with autism. 

Several students assembled hospitality bags and supported mothers and babies at the Good Counsel Home in Spring Valley, while others helped preschoolers at El Mundo del Nino and El Mundo de Colores in Paterson. Angels also brought joy through art at the Missionary Franciscan Sisters in Tenafly and the Cancer Support Community at Holy Name Hospital in New Milford. At the Oasis Center for Women and Children and the Fr. English Food Pantry in Paterson, students sorted clothing, served meals, and provided childcare, offering both practical help and a warm presence to families in need.

“This day is about more than volunteer work,” said Jean Miller, AHA Principal “It’s about forming relationships, seeing the dignity of every person, and understanding the powerful role our students can play in shaping a more compassionate world.”

Each year, Service Day reminds the AHA community that learning extends far beyond the classroom.  It draws us back to our mission, that our students can, and will, transform the world with their unique gifts.

Founded by the School Sisters of Notre Dame in 1879, the Academy of the Holy Angels is the oldest private girls’ school in Bergen County. While AHA is steeped in Catholic tradition, this prestigious school serves young women from many backgrounds. The Academy’s current leaders continue to further the SSND mission to provide each student with the tools she needs to reach the fullness of her potential—spiritually, intellectually, socially, and physically, by offering a first-rate education in a nurturing environment where equal importance is placed on academic excellence, character development, moral integrity, and service to others.