Alumni Return Home to Saint Monica Preparatory

Following October’s Homecoming at Home, when many alumni, current families and community members came together on campus to celebrate our shared Mariner pride, the Saint Monica Classes of 1969 and 1974 celebrated their 55th and 50th reunions, respectively. The Class of 1969 held its reunion at Chevron Park in El Segundo, while the Class of 1974 returned to campus, gathering in the auditorium. Both groups enjoyed an incredible time reconnecting and sharing stories from their time at Saint Monica. Last Saturday, it was the Class of 2014's turn to commemorate its 10th reunion in the Grand Pavilion. Reunions are a wonderful reminder of the deep bonds formed here at SMPREP and the lasting memories carried forward!

SMPREP welcomed back a lively group of Visual & Performing Arts (VPA) alumni for "One Last Curtain Call" before the closing performance of "Almost, Maine," the final play held in the over-90-year-old Cantwell Auditorium as we know it. SMPREP will break ground on a new, state-of-the-art performance space in January. SMPREP alumni reminisced about decades of Mariner memories in the auditorium - from dances after football games to our wonderful plays and musicals. VPA families signed the stage door that will eventually get integrated into the new space to honor the past as we look forward to the future. Then, they watched our talented Mariners on stage and behind the scenes do a wonderful job bringing the unique characters, slightly magical setting and memorable stories of "Almost, Maine" to life. 

"The VPA family is so very special. I have never seen a group of students who are so supportive of each other - whether they are freshmen or junior athletes who just want to try the arts before they graduate. Everyone is welcome and are welcomed - and they have a lot of fun doing it. It was an honor to have been part of it for so long. It’s a wonderful program," shared Mary Claire Phan, mom to Arielle '14, Erynn '16, Jonah '19 and Isabelle '22.