Mayfield takes great pride in being a member of the Holy Child Network of Schools. When I joined Mayfield Junior School as Director of Middle School in 2022, I immediately felt Mayfield's mission and Holy Child philosophy were soundly connected.

Each year, the Network invites faculty and staff representatives from its nine schools to participate in Holy Child Mission Effectiveness Training at the American Province headquarters of the Society of the Holy Child Jesus in Rosemont, Pennsylvania. In the Spring of 2023, I was privileged to attend. During that trip and the subsequent visits, I learned more about each school's history and the philosophies of Holy Child education — the way Venerable Cornelia Connelly envisioned it. I also toured another Holy Child elementary school, Holy Child School at Rosemont, and met colleagues from the other Network schools. Walking the halls of another Holy Child school immediately felt familiar. The motto, "Actions not Words" on the walls, prominent images of Cornelia Connelly, and Holy Child ideals echoed in the hallways and classrooms, highlighted our common bonds and inspired me to deepen our connection.

How meaningful would it be for Mayfield students to connect and engage with their peers at other Holy Child Schools?

Inspiration led to the creation of a five-day, four-night trip for the 7th-grade Class of 2026 to Philadelphia and Rosemont, Pennsylvania. Planned for May, the trip seemed the ideal milestone in leadership development, as well as personal and spiritual growth, as the grade prepared to move into their final year at Mayfield Junior School. With the support of our Leadership Team and Head of School, Joe Sciuto, this dream became a reality, and soon we were booking airline tickets. Sixtyseven students and adult chaperones experienced this inaugural trip. Rosemont College, another Holy Child School, hosted us and provided our accommodations in their dormitories.

Philadelphia, often called the "Birthplace of America," is also Cornelia Connelly's birthplace, and as you explore the city, you'll find footprints of her lasting legacy. Traveling by foot, bus, and rail, our itinerary included visits to key historical sites, locations significant to Cornelia, and, most meaningfully, a day with students from the other Holy Child schools.

On our first full day in the city, our 7th graders attended Sunday Mass at the Cathedral Basilica of Saints Peter and Paul. Inside the Basilica is the Cornelia Connelly Memorial, and our students were fascinated to see her familiar face so far from home.

Our students visited several historic landmarks, including the Liberty Bell, the Museum of the American Revolution, Independence Hall, Benjamin Franklin's Printing Press, the "Rocky Steps" at the Philadelphia Museum of Art, and several other sites in Philadelphia's Old City. And of course, the students also enjoyed famous foods, including Philly cheesesteaks, hoagies, pretzels, and lunch at Reading Terminal Market.

Most meaningfully, our students participated in the first-ever gathering of Holy Child School students from six U.S. schools. Nearly 200 seventh graders gathered on the campus of Holy Child School at Rosemont, which included students from New Jersey, New York, Philadelphia, Maryland, and, of course, our own students from Pasadena, California. Together, they engaged in service, a collaborative art project, and leadership development. Seeing all of our students come together was a beautiful and visible symbol of our shared mission in action.

Being in Philadelphia, it was also appropriate to keep Cornelia Connelly present in a fun and memorable way. So, "Flat CC" (short for Cornelia Connelly, as she often signed her name), a laminated cutout of Cornelia sporting modern-day shoes, joined us on every outing. The students found joy in taking snapshots of themselves with Flat CC in front of many historic landmarks and popular Philadelphia spots.

Our students returned with wonderful experiences and a renewed appreciation for their school and classmates. Mayfield Junior School is deeply committed to making this experiential trip an annual experience for our 7th graders, and we are excited to watch this tradition become a memorable milestone for generations of Mayfield students.

This story was featured in the 2024-2025 Annual Report issue of the Maypoll.