My Nonprofit Reviews

I hope that whomever is reading this as a means of trying to discern their Catholic high school choice will be helped in their decision by what I share. I am an alumnae of Academy of the Holy Family (AHF) where I was privileged to attend high school. Prior to attending AHF I was a painfully shy African 14-year old having an extremely difficult time adjusting to American culture. The three years I had attended elementary and junior high school had led me deeper into my shell as my accent led most of my teachers not to understand me and many of my peers to ridicule me. AHF was a God-send for there I found other young students from my homeland and wonderful God-fearing American friends with whom I made lasting friendships as we studied together, prayed together, and grew together. God also blessed me with many teachers who encouraged me to ask questions and who helped me blossom into a good student and athlete, gifts God had put in me that I had never known were in me until I attended AHF. The attention each student received due to the optimal teacher-to-student ratio received helped shape each of us into being the best we could be. For me personally, it helped shape who I am today because AHF is where I fell in love with Science (thank you Sister Maria) and which led to my pursuing a B.A. in Biology from Rosemont College and a M.S. in Biotechnology from Johns Hopkins University. This all eventually led to my current job at the National institutes of Health. At AHF my Catholic faith was fostered and so was the knowledge that as a Christian I should look for ways to give back. This led to my involvement in various activities within the Church and non-profit organizations. I am forever grateful for God using my many teachers at AHF to help me discover whom God created me to be as a Catholic and a member of society, while helping me build many wonderful friendships that have become another family to me; and a confidence that as a child of God I can indeed "do all things through Christ who strengthens me" (Phil 4:13) Thank you AHF!

Forever grateful,
Mary Kiganda (class of '86)

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