Social Action is about the transformation of ourselves and the world around us. It asks us to recognize our interconnectedness and to commit to living with love in action. As times change, the program continues to evolve, but its mission remains constant and grounded in our Sacred Heart identity: to discover and reveal Christ’s love in the world.

Across decades, alumnae and current students reflect on how these formative experiences shaped their understanding of faith, justice, and responsibility to others.

Responses have been lightly edited for length and clarity.

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1950s

I graduated from Stone Ridge 70 years ago, and at that time, the Goals and Criteria of the Sacred Heart did not exist. We were expected to do volunteer work, and Stone Ridge had The Christophers. We were to be "Christ bearers" to those in need.

We were the silent generation of the 50s, and most of us went on to become wives and mothers who did not go to work outside the home until our children were a lot older. Somehow, we were still always the first to volunteer to be class mother or drive carpool for a field trip. We went out to fill a hole or help someone in need because that was what we had learned to do as Christophers.

Social Action can be fun. It is always rewarding and fulfilling. It is something we never outgrow, no matter how old we get. 

It is a mindset that we learn in high school and carry with us for a lifetime. I am so grateful that all Sacred Heart schools instill in their students a passionate desire to serve others.

–Bee Dyer Gonnella ’55

1960s

Commitment to student Social Action goes way back to the beginning of Stone Ridge’s history, and for me, and I am sure many others, my involvement had a profound impact on me and has carried me into an adult life of service. Service was not part of the curriculum as it is today, but the opportunities to serve were abundant and certainly encouraged. Most of the opportunities came through an organization called The Christophers. There were various groups organized under this umbrella that allowed students to be involved in helping others based on their interests.

My early volunteering at the now-closed “Christ Child Farm” started my long-time involvement with an organization that I am still involved with today, over 60 years later! After college, I was asked to help with a Christ Child Society fundraiser, and a short time later, I was asked to join a new guild being formed in the Washington, DC , Chapter of the Christ Child Society.

That chapter was the founding Washington Christ Child Chapter, but the organization grew quickly, and it soon became the National Christ Child Society, which today has 44 chapters across the country. I served on the national board for 10 years and served as the national president for two of those years, and even today, I serve as the National Christ Child Society’s historian and remain involved on both the local and the national level.

You never know where your high school Social Action commitment might lead you. I know where mine led me, and I am forever grateful for it!

–Patricia Wimsatt Myler ’64

1970s

When I reflect on my time at Stone Ridge, one of the most formative experiences was being part of the school’s nascent Social Action Program. As a member of the Class of 1973, I was among the first students to participate, and I can say without hesitation that it changed the trajectory of my life. It was, in many ways, a time of self-discovery—personally, professionally, and spiritually.

My passion for service, my profession, my leadership journey—can be traced back to those early Social Action experiences. The program gave me more than a resume line or a few memories. It gave me purpose. It showed me the rewards of helping others, the value of hands-on engagement, and the dignity of every person we serve.

Stone Ridge’s Social Action Program was a spark that lit the path forward for me. I will be forever indebted to it—for revealing my strengths, shaping my vocation, and connecting me to the joy of service. It was the beginning of a life built on action, compassion, and care.

–Maureen O’Hagan Lobb ’73

1980s

One moment from my Social Action experience at Stone Ridge has stayed with me all these years. My very first assignment was in a special needs classroom at a local school, and I remember helping a student practice brushing his teeth. What still stands out is how comfortable I felt. I just felt present. I felt good about helping someone learn an important life skill, and that experience planted something in me early on, a quiet knowing that being of service wasn’t just something I could do; it was something I enjoyed and wanted to do.

I don’t know that Social Action changed my heart as much as it revealed what was already there: I’m a helper. I see that influence clearly in my life today, especially in the way I intentionally chose service-centered educational programs when I transitioned into mental health care. Now, as a licensed mental health provider in private practice, service continues to guide both my personal and professional life. It’s also why I stay connected to the community through leadership roles, including serving on the Washington Jazz Arts Institute Board of Directors and the Duke Ellington School of the Arts LSAT Board.

Stone Ridge didn’t just teach me to care; it helped me understand that care and impact will always be a part of who I am.

–Sheryl Matthews Daniel ’88

1990s

Social Action sparked something inside of me that made me want to continue to volunteer even after I graduated. Looking back on Social Action, I felt I was given an intangible gift from each of my volunteer experiences. While in college, I continued to volunteer for various charity events such as food kitchens, Ronald McDonald House, and Habitat for Humanity.

Our actions and our words can change the world around us in the smallest ways, one person at a time. I have raised my ninth-grade daughter and sixth-grade son to practice acts of kindness and try to say or do one nice gesture a day for someone. I will often ask them, “What did you do today as your act of kindness?” I’m amazed and proud of how they have integrated the practice into their daily lives.

No action or word is too little to make a difference. Being aware of the world around us and acting upon the needs we see is what I believe to be a social awareness which impels to action.

–Michele Hinerman Wilham ’92

2000s

During my time as a student, I served with three different Social Action partner organizations: as a teacher’s helper at an elementary school, at Navy Med (now Walter Reed), and at Montgomery College (MC). My experience at MC stands out most and solidified my desire to work in education. There, I helped English Language Learner students with their coursework. Serving at MC reminded me that even the smallest connections can make a meaningful difference.

Now, as a Stone Ridge educator and English teacher, I continue my service to my community through a partnership with Bread for the City, an organization that addresses food insecurity in DC and provides a range of essential services. During each Social Action Day, we bring a new group of Second Academic students to the site as part of their rotations. Because I also teach Second Academic students, these experiences allow me to connect with them beyond the classroom. Working alongside students to strengthen our community is one of the reasons I was so excited to return to Stone Ridge, and Social Action Days are always a highlight of my week.

–Megan Minogue ’03

2010s

When I think back to my Social Action experience, I remember feeling humbled in ways that were sometimes uncomfortable. I spent one year volunteering at Food and Friends and another at an elementary school in DC. It’s one thing to learn Catholic teachings about social justice, to organize fundraisers for worthy causes, and to study the saints and martyrs and religious people who go off into the world to change it. It’s another to join them, even briefly. I’m so glad I did so as an adolescent, even if I didn’t recognize the importance of this until much later.

–Carolyn Ruocco ’10

The Social Action program immensely shaped my path, guiding where I went to college and leading me to the work I do in Ukraine today. I loved the freedom the program gave me to explore real social justice issues such as environmental care, human rights, and child advocacy. What stayed with me most was how deeply the program was woven into the DMV community.

It was not performative; it was practical, sustained, accountable, and grounded in partnerships with local organizations.

As a senior Social Action Leader, I worked with freshmen on meaningful projects about poverty and homelessness in Washington, DC, learning how to pair empathy with action. Mentors like Lauren Brownlee and Miranda Whitmore modeled what patient, community-rooted leadership looks like, and I still think about their lessons on leadership to this day.

–Sarah Slimp ’19

2020s

Social Action has planted a seed of a passion for justice and service in my life. For a very long time, I have known I want to be a lawyer when I am older; however, I had no idea what kind of law. Recently, through the Social Action program, I have come to the realization that I want to practice a kind of law that truly extends into the community and makes an impact on people I otherwise would never get to engage with. I am grateful for the passion for service that the program has given me, which I now strive to carry into my future career.

–Elena Thornton ’27

Social Action means so much more to me than just service. Social Action offers me a way to directly serve others alongside members of the Stone Ridge community. I have learned that Social Action is a way for me to help those around me, as well as build community with my classmates and individuals at my site. Through my work in Social Action, I have learned what it truly means to be a part of an uplifting and supportive community.

–Paige Koger ’27

Looking Forward

From the early days of The Christophers to today’s sustained community partnerships, Social Action continues to shape not only what students do, but who they become. Rooted in the Sacred Heart Goals and Criteria, the program forms individuals who are attentive to the needs of the world, grounded in reflection, and committed to building community. As these testimonies make clear, the program’s influence reaches far beyond Stone Ridge—into families, professions, communities, and global contexts. In changing times, Social Action endures as a generational legacy of faith made visible, calling each student to discover and reveal Christ’s love in the world. ❤