News at SHA

Sacred Heart Academy Juniors Earn High Honors at Long Island Science Congress
June 12, 2026

Three SHA Juniors earned High Honors at Long Island Science Congress, highlighting another exceptional year for the research program.

Alt text
Alt text
Alt text

Default title

Default description

Sacred Heart Academy's research program continues its tradition of excellence, as three Junior researchers earned High Honors at the 2026 Long Island Science Congress (LISC), one of the region's most prestigious and competitive science competitions.


At the June 11 awards ceremony, Juniors Madelyn Boorman '27, Cecilia Renz '27, and Sameera Rampertab '27 each received High Honors, placing within the top tier of competitors in the senior division.


The recognition caps off an outstanding year for Sacred Heart Academy's Class of 2027 researchers, who also captured top honors at the Long Island Youth Summit at St. Joseph's University and earned a bronze medal at Chemagination at St. John's University.


The Long Island Science Congress is the largest science fair on Long Island, drawing hundreds of the region's most talented student researchers. According to LISC officials, the 2026 competition was "the most competitive Long Island Science Congress in our 50-year history," featuring 938 students presenting 690 projects from approximately 80 high schools across Long Island.


Award-Winning Student Research Projects


  • Madelyn Boorman '27 – Direct-to-Consumed: The Linguistic Strategies Behind Direct-to-Consumer Pharmaceutical Marketing
  • Cecilia Renz '27 – The Fentanyl Epidemic: Student Awareness Among Females Attending a Private, Faith-Based High School
  • Sameera Rampertab '27 – The BAS Model: Analyzing the Impact of Excessive Social Media Usage on the Mental Health and Neurologic Reward System of Female Adolescents


Overall, Sacred Heart Academy students delivered an exceptional performance at this year's congress. Nearly one-third of SHA participants earned distinctions placing them among the top 2–10% of competitors, while several others finished within the top 15%.


Additional Honors for Sacred Heart Academy Researchers


Achievement Award

  • Lucia Guerra '27
  • Monica Joseph '27
  • Chloe Kim '27


Meritorious Award

  • Aya Belkharraz Idrissi '27
  • Joelle Ghirardella '27
  • Sophia Lyons '27


Honorable Mention

  • Jordan McCauley '27


Beyond the impressive results, all Sacred Heart Academy students represented the school with professionalism, poise, and confidence throughout the competition.


Congratulations to all of our student researchers and their mentors for another remarkable year of academic achievement. Their dedication to inquiry, research, and scientific excellence continues to make the Sacred Heart Academy community proud.

Sacred Heart’s Isabella Paesano ‘26 Honored with $10,000 Dante Foundation Award

July 22, 2026
At an awards ceremony on June 24, Isabella Paesano ‘26 accepted a $10,000 scholarship from the Mineola-based Dante Foundation. The competitive grant is awarded each year to a handful of students across Nassau and Suffolk counties who are of Italian heritage, achieve an above average score on the SATs, are actively involved in their high schools, and plan to attend college after graduation. The event, which took place at the elegant Westbury Manor, is an annual celebration founded to encourage fellowship among Italian-Americans and fundraise to establish scholarships for outstanding youth. Isabella credits her time here at Sacred Heart Academy for helping her earn the scholarship. She says the transformative power of a single-sex education has helped her gain the confidence and leadership skills necessary to succeed in college and beyond. “Going to an all-girls school had great benefits. I met my lifelong friends here and it helped shape who I am today.” Isabella says staying involved in sports and activities helped foster those friendships and gave her a sense of belonging. Over the course of her time here at Sacred Heart Isabella played on Varsity Field Hockey, and immersed herself in clubs such as Best Buddies, Lady Spartans Against Cancer, Limb Kind Club, Friend of Ronald McDonald House, and of course, Red & Gold. As Isabella prepares to attend Fairfield University this fall, she fondly reflects on her years here on campus, specifically her experience as Spirit Captain for Gold in last year’s Red & Gold. “One memory that will always stay with me from my time at Sacred Heart is when it was announced that the Gold team won, proving everyone's hard work and dedication to the team paid off!” Isabella’s dedication extends well beyond the SHA campus and into her community. Every summer, Isabella immerses herself in service, volunteering at Camp ANCHOR and giving her time to the Mary Ruchalski Foundation , a Long Island charity dedicated to raising awareness for pediatric cancer. “Throughout my experience at SHA I have learned to Lead with Heart. From my freshman year to senior, my classmates have always been there for me.” She added that the faculty here at SHA, specifically the teachers of the Resource Room, helped her achieve her academic goals. “They believed in me and gave me so much support through my entire career SHA.” Isabella will study psychology at Fairfield in the hopes of becoming an occupational therapist for children with special needs. Sacred Heart Academy congratulates Isabella on her well-earned scholarship and is proud to count her among the most recent members of its national sisterhood of SHA alumnae!

Natalia Taylor '27 Sets Sacred Heart Academy Track and Field Records

June 23, 2026
Record-breaking thrower Natalia Taylor credits patience, perseverance, and the Sacred Heart sisterhood for her success on and off the field.

Inspiring Excellence in Every Student

Rooted in faith and tradition, we empower young women to lead with confidence, compassion, and integrity. Through rigorous academics, spiritual growth, and a supportive sisterhood, our students are inspired to excel in college and beyond while making a meaningful impact in the world.

Sacred Heart’s Isabella Paesano ‘26 Honored with $10,000 Dante Foundation Award

July 22, 2026
At an awards ceremony on June 24, Isabella Paesano ‘26 accepted a $10,000 scholarship from the Mineola-based Dante Foundation. The competitive grant is awarded each year to a handful of students across Nassau and Suffolk counties who are of Italian heritage, achieve an above average score on the SATs, are actively involved in their high schools, and plan to attend college after graduation. The event, which took place at the elegant Westbury Manor, is an annual celebration founded to encourage fellowship among Italian-Americans and fundraise to establish scholarships for outstanding youth. Isabella credits her time here at Sacred Heart Academy for helping her earn the scholarship. She says the transformative power of a single-sex education has helped her gain the confidence and leadership skills necessary to succeed in college and beyond. “Going to an all-girls school had great benefits. I met my lifelong friends here and it helped shape who I am today.” Isabella says staying involved in sports and activities helped foster those friendships and gave her a sense of belonging. Over the course of her time here at Sacred Heart Isabella played on Varsity Field Hockey, and immersed herself in clubs such as Best Buddies, Lady Spartans Against Cancer, Limb Kind Club, Friend of Ronald McDonald House, and of course, Red & Gold. As Isabella prepares to attend Fairfield University this fall, she fondly reflects on her years here on campus, specifically her experience as Spirit Captain for Gold in last year’s Red & Gold. “One memory that will always stay with me from my time at Sacred Heart is when it was announced that the Gold team won, proving everyone's hard work and dedication to the team paid off!” Isabella’s dedication extends well beyond the SHA campus and into her community. Every summer, Isabella immerses herself in service, volunteering at Camp ANCHOR and giving her time to the Mary Ruchalski Foundation , a Long Island charity dedicated to raising awareness for pediatric cancer. “Throughout my experience at SHA I have learned to Lead with Heart. From my freshman year to senior, my classmates have always been there for me.” She added that the faculty here at SHA, specifically the teachers of the Resource Room, helped her achieve her academic goals. “They believed in me and gave me so much support through my entire career SHA.” Isabella will study psychology at Fairfield in the hopes of becoming an occupational therapist for children with special needs. Sacred Heart Academy congratulates Isabella on her well-earned scholarship and is proud to count her among the most recent members of its national sisterhood of SHA alumnae!

Natalia Taylor '27 Sets Sacred Heart Academy Track and Field Records

June 23, 2026
Record-breaking thrower Natalia Taylor credits patience, perseverance, and the Sacred Heart sisterhood for her success on and off the field.

Heart of SHA: Faylen Morales ‘28

June 17, 2026
Ever since Faylen Morales ‘28 was 8 years old, she has known she wanted to help build a world where everyone feels included. That passion drove her to attend Sacred Heart Academy in the fall of 2024, where, in addition to her rigorous academic schedule, she competes as a Varsity swimmer, is an active member of the Cooking Club, and takes part in Red & Gold. Beyond her commitments at SHA, Faylen has volunteered as a coach at TOPSoccer for the past 8 years, a recreational soccer program for children and adults with intellectual, emotional, and physical disabilities. She credits her dedication to the organization for making her a ‘more compassionate, patient and understanding person.” Faylen attributes Sacred Heart Academy to teaching her that “true leadership comes from leading with love, compassion and faith." "SHA reminds us to do everything through Jesus and shows me that leadership is not about recognition, but about serving others with kindness and using our actions to make a positive difference in people’s lives.” A rising Junior, Faylen already plans to attend college, where she will study to be a school psychologist serving children with diverse learning needs. “I am so thankful to have been exposed to children and adults with special needs from a young age because those experiences helped me develop a passion for helping others and making a positive impact on people’s lives. My experience at Sacred Heart has strengthened my compassion, patience, and desire to serve others, helping me grow into the kind of person who wants to give back to my community and support others in meaningful ways.” Sacred Heart Academy is proud to recognize Faylen as a shining example of what it means to Lead with Heart!