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Women’s History Month puts spotlight on inspiring women

As we march forward into April, it seems like time is flying by faster and faster with the approach of Summer. It can be easy to get caught up in everything going on—spring break, Easter, retreats, college scholarships—and forget about what’s important. Here we at the Prep News hope to remind everyone of one of those important things: Women’s History Month.

Established in 1987 after a petition by the National Women’s History Project, Women’s History Month serves as an invitation to learn more about the role of women throughout history. According to social studies teachers Sarah Becvar and Lindsey Ehret, the month reminds us to consider varying perspectives.

“It can be easy to focus on a single story of history, so it's really important that we amplify voices who have been at one point or another ignored or suppressed,” said Becvar. “I think as a society we've become much more aware of the importance of recognizing groups that have not been amplified enough.”

The month serves as a time to highlight women who are inspirational and perhaps undervalued or underrepresented in their fields.

For Becvar, that person is the late Ruth Bader Ginsburg. Among the few women who have been on the Supreme Court, Ginsburg served as a beacon for women’s rights and social justice in America.

“She was incredible. She was in law school at a time when women weren't going to law school. She was also raising a daughter—so, kind of this epitome of the working mother—and she stood up to very blatant discrimination,” said Becvar. “And then the policies she pushed for and supported were all about giving women more economic opportunities—making it so that women could do simple things like own a line of credit and fight for custody rights for their kids. So she's someone I really, in modern times, look up to and respect. “

Ehret’s inspiration comes from two women at the core of the movement for equal rights for women: Alice Paul and Lucy Burns, the iron-jawed angels. These two women served as the backbone for first wave feminism, going on hunger strikes and risking their lives to obtain suffrage for women.

“Thinking about the lengths to which they devoted their lives to getting women the right to vote—I kind of put myself in their shoes,” said Ehret. “Would I have been that kind of a woman? Could I have sacrificed everything for this, this right? And so I think we owe a debt of gratitude to people that are willing to do that.”

Choir teacher Addie Akin’s is inspired by someone she’s known her whole life.

“The cliché but true answer is my mom,” said Akin. “I have always admired her ability to balance work and home. She seemed to 'do it all,' giving me a creative and full childhood while also excelling at her job. She models selflessness every day and continues to teach me lessons about faith, family, and priorities.”

And for Latin teacher Jennifer Ice, her inspiration comes from someone who’s walked the halls of SLUH for years.

“Dr McConaghy, the Greek teacher, is somebody that I hold a lot of respect for in this building because she was one of the first female teachers here at SLUH and she's still here,” said Ice. “She's really paved the way for other female faculty. I think she's a strong teacher. She's a strong woman.”

Ice’s sentiment was one that was shared amongst many of the teachers. For Ehret, the women at SLUH are often some of the most inspiring, science teachers Megan Menne and Mary Russo being two of those women.

“(Think of) how many committees (Menne) is on and how much work she does for Student Council and how she’s a good teacher. She’s at SLUH all the time—living and breathing SLUH,” said Ehret. “Mrs. Russo the same thing. She was super welcoming to all the new teachers. When I was new, she reached out to me and mentored me a little bit. She's been a great powerful leader. And Spanish teacher Mrs. Toussaint as well. She's been really vocal. I think there's some really powerful and awesome women at SLUH.”

“I feel very fortunate to be part of a department with strong female professionals, and I'm proud of the ways that we all support each other,” said Akin.

For Becvar, she’s excited to see young girls having aspirations that, when she was younger, many girls might not have had.

“We're finally getting to a point where young girls will think ‘I can do that because it looks like it's not out of the ordinary anymore because someone else is already doing it,’ and I think that's super significant,” said Becvar.

For Ehret, that progress can look like being asked to be on a committee tasked with hiring a football coach, but it can also be presented in the women who hold places of prominence in modern countries.

“A couple years ago I was asked to be on the hiring committee for the football coach, and only in the early rounds. To some degree, I felt like a token, but I was also like, ‘Yeah, I'm one of the only female coaches. Absolutely. Of course I should be at this,’” said Ehret. “I also like the stories that come out of Scandinavian countries that have a predominantly female political leadership and all the things that they get done and all the cooperation.”

Ice has had the chance to see gradual change in her time at SLUH, mostly in the form of an increase in the number of women on the staff.

“Well first of all, there weren't as many female teachers (when I started). There's been an increase in the number of female faculty that we have, which is great. We just need to have a really diverse teaching staff,” said Ice. “I think we do have a more diverse teaching staff than we used to. We can always do better.”

According to Ehret and Becvar, we are seeing steps towards a more inclusive and thoughtful SLUH environment, and it’s important to always remember to consider those other perspectives, especially when we’re around like-minded people.

“We're obviously all-boys school and there's not always a female voice nearby, but thinking of including that in discussions and things like that I think is important,” said Ehret.

 

 


 

 

 

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