St. Mary’s Academy: Learning and living Loretto values

“I learned that acts of kindness don’t have to be something big. Often the smallest things can make a big difference.”

The 45 fourth- and fifth-grade students who have served as the 2025-2026 Loretto Leaders at St. Mary’s Academy in Englewood, Colo., will be the first to tell you that the program gave them far more than a title — it gave them a deeper understanding of what it truly means to lead with kindness and concern for others.

And they learned about this from the very best. Loretto Community members were paired with the students throughout the school year, exchanging letters and sharing wisdom drawn from their experiences. Local Colorado “Buddy” pairs gathered for a special lunch in the spring, while long-distance partners connected over Zoom — proving that meaningful mentorship can flourish across any distance. These conversations culminated a year of learning and service activities, among them school admissions tours and events, lunchtime composting, assemblies and Earth Day activities.

Quotes throughout are from St. Mary’s Loretto Buddy students. Check out this Loretto Buddies video on Facebook.

I’ve learned to be inclusive.

I learned to put others before me.

I have learned to take care of the earth, love all people and treat everyone with respect.

Read all the articles in the fall 2026 issue of Loretto Magazine.