Bergen Teens Receive AHA’s Kindness Award

Burdens seem lighter when friends listen with care and share their warmth and wit. For these reasons, and many more, Reilly Guy of Fair Lawn, Emma Spadora of Ridgewood, and Milena Hiza of Franklin Lakes received the Sister Catherine Green Kindness Award from the Academy of the Holy Angels. Recipients of this award reflect the inspirational kindness displayed by S. Catherine, SSND, a beloved member of the AHA Religious Studies Department from 1982 to 2014.

Milena Hiza, a member of the Class of 2025, brings positive energy and a welcoming attitude to Holy Angels. Classmates say Hiza is considerate, genuine, and compassionate. She comes to school with a smile, and helps people when they are struggling.

“(Hiza) strives to show her best self every day,” a friend wrote. “She inspires me to become the best version of myself.”

Honoree Emma Spadora was recognized or being positive, funny, sweet, and ready to spend time with those who need someone to listen.

“You can talk to her about anything that is bothering you, and she somehow knows the right thing to say to make your worries disappear,” a classmate said of this AHA sophomore.

Another peer said, “Her welcoming smile is warm and inviting. In her presence, you feel understood, loved, and near a person with a genuine heart of gold. She is always encouraging and her kind words have had a huge impact on me.”

Reilly Guy, a junior, earned her award for her inclusive, generous, compassionate, and humble nature.

“(She is) always willing to help those around her,” a friend said of Guy. “She makes people laugh when they are feeling down and tries to put everyone else’s happiness first.”

Classmates particularly enjoy Guy’s positive attitude and infectious laugh.

“She is always supportive of everyone and tries her best to lift others up when they are feeling down,” a peer shared.

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 a broad spectrum of cultural and religious backgrounds. Over time, thousands of women have passed through AHA’s portals. Many go on to study at some of the nation’s best universities, earning high-ranking positions in medicine, government, law, education, public service, business, arts, and athletics. 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.