Holy Angels Students Honored for Exemplary Kindness

 Academy of the Holy Angels students Hailey Filera, Hannah Kim, Gianna Rodriguez, and Kristina Migliaccio have received the Sister Catherine Green Kindness Award. This award provides recognition for each recipient and recalls S. Catherine, a School Sister of Notre Dame who taught religious studies at AHA from 1982 to 2014.

A veteran educator, S. Catherine is remembered for her ready smile, her willingness to listen, and her words of support and encouragement. The Academy’s newest honorees continue this remarkable legacy.

Kristina Migliaccio is a freshman from Franklin Lakes. Friends say she is “a gift to everyone around her” and is always there to make everyone smile and laugh.

One friend said Migliaccio is “the one person I can count on to see the bright side of any situation. She shows kindness inside and outside of school to everyone she meets, and lights up every place she goes.”

Another person said being in Migliaccio’s presence makes her feel included and comfortable at school.

Sophomore Gianna Rodriguez of Englewood Cliffs is known for being able to make others smile. Friends say Rodriguez “helps her friends with any task, both big or small, and does so willingly.”

A classmate called Rodriguez “one of the friendliest and most welcoming people I have met at AHA. She is always positive and has a smile on her face.”

Honoree Hannah Kim is known for her bright, joyful attitude, and her willingness to put others first. Classmates say Kim is always willing to help, no matter how busy she may be.

Friends say this junior from Cresskill is “what kindness looks like.” Kim’s peers say she “goes above and beyond to put a smile on someone’s face and is always there to cheer people up.”

Senior Hailey Filera of Bergenfield was recognized for her selfless, genuine, caring, and patient nature. A friend said Filera “picks up her friends when they are down, and is always willing to lend a hand when someone is in need.”

Filera listens when others need to talk, and makes them feel heard.

Another classmate added, “(She) prioritizes the happiness of her friends and family, and never fails to make my day!”

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 high 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.