Teen Sleep Out Benefits Covenant House

A handful of tenacious teens from Holy Angels spent the night of June 7 at the Academy’s first Sleep Out. Together, these students raised $5,410 to benefit Covenant House, an organization that provides shelter for young people who are experiencing homelessness and trafficking.

Participating Angels demonstrated their solidarity with the 4.2 million young people who experience homelessness each year. They also followed the example of the School Sisters of Notre Dame, AHA’s foundresses and sponsors, by working to promote social justice and put a halt to human trafficking.

Angels who fundraised for the Academy’s first Sleep Out were Gianna Castaldo, Anastasia Mysliwiec, Raquel Garcia, Lyla Cutro, Mackenzie Crimmins, Emily Figueroa, Claire Lee, and Quinn Reicherz. Their efforts were doubled by a generous, anonymous donor.

Sleep Out chaperones included Director of Mission and Ministry Joan Connelly and Campus Ministers Maryanne Miloscia and Nick Fallivene.

Angels arrived at 7:45 p.m. and began the evening with a “Covenant House 101” talk and video. Activities included explorations of kindness, empathy, and stereotypes. Highlights of the evening included a youth panel discussion, guided group conversations, a candlelight vigil, and prayers for people who are experiencing homelessness. Ultimately, the group slept in the gym.

Gianna Castaldo (AHA ’27) connected with the mission of Covenant House this spring at AHA.

“On Awareness Day (March 26), Covenant House came to speak to the freshman class,” Castaldo explained. Her interest led her to contact the organization and became a junior board member.

What would this Angel tell others about the Sleep Out? “I would tell people that this experience made me appreciate what I have since I got to hear the stories of another girl who is in a current Covenant home. Her story made me feel appreciative of my parents, education, and home,” Castaldo said.

Claire Lee, a rising senior, recently became aware of Covenant House, and was inspired to raise funds to help others.

“By spending one night at the Academy of the Holy Angels, I was able to aid so many people in need,” Lee said. “(The Sleep Out) also gave us a better understanding about the stigma and assumptions surrounding homelessness and trafficking. I would recommend (that) others participate in this with their friends. Doing this alone might have been hard, but since I was surrounded by my friends, I felt as if it made the experience better. Overall, I think that homelessness and trafficking are often overlooked, and by doing this, you raise awareness, gain knowledge, and, most importantly, are in solidarity with those affected.”

Emily Figueroa (’25) wanted to raise awareness for people who have no homes, particularly youths.

“(This) was a really special and eye-opening experience where we got to learn about causes, effects, and struggles of homelessness,” Figueroa shared. “We were able to hear the stories of some young people who have experienced this, and it was inspiring to hear about how they were able to find help and rise above this struggle. It made me extremely grateful for what I have and taught me to cherish each moment in life as well as what bravery and strength are like.”  

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 cultural and religious backgrounds. AHA’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.