Whether or not you come from the Catholic tradition, you’ll find NDA’s theological studies will give you an inner strength and deep spiritual grounding that will root and bless you throughout your life.
Every journey needs a compass, so all students are required to take theology each year they are at NDA. Whether or not you come from the Catholic tradition, you’ll find these studies will give you an inner strength that will be a blessing to you throughout your life.
Rooted in the charism of the Sisters of Notre Dame, Campus Ministry at Notre Dame Academy helps students foster a moral compass, a sense of belonging and community, and a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. Students can be a part of Campus Ministry in many ways such as liturgies, prayers, service projects, retreats, mission trips, and small groups. Just as sunflowers always turn toward the sun, Eagles are encouraged to continually look to God and keep faith at the center of their lives.
Our students are encouraged to grow as disciples and spiritual leaders of the school through assisting in planning and leading faith-based opportunities such as the Campus Ministry Core Team, the Appalachia Core Team, and the Honors Catholic Leadership Seminar.
All NDA students have the opportunity to worship at Mass monthly and Adoration monthly in their Theology classes and are provided time to receive the Sacrament of Reconciliation during Advent (Fall Semester) and Lent (Spring Semester). As a 7th or 8th-grade student, you will have the opportunity in your Theology class to celebrate Mass or pray weekly in the chapel. Our students are encouraged to assist in planning and leading these celebrations as lectors, sacristans, altar servers, liturgical musicians and singers, and Eucharistic Ministers.
Notre Dame Academy's service learning program aims to develop students as socially responsible servant leaders. Students participate in the program all four years which fosters self-awareness, integrates spirituality into daily life, deepens understanding of Catholic Social Teaching, and builds a strong sense of community. By the end of the first semester of senior year, all students are required to have at least 70 hours of service learning completed.
Through service, students encounter the face of Jesus in those they serve, gaining insights into social issues and pathways to God. These efforts not only benefit the community but also prepare students for a future focused on serving others.
Additionally, NDA’s service projects and trips help those in and outside our local community:
A partnership with St. John’s Jesuit High School & Academy and St. Ursula Academy where students help prepare food and go out into areas in need in the Toledo community providing friendship and food.
Labre happens every Monday evening to help build consistency and relationships while meeting the needs of the community.
Every December since 1989, NDA juniors and seniors have traveled to Harlan, Kentucky to provide residents with presents, dinner, share in conversation and fellowship with those in attendance, and a visit from Santa.
Service trips have provided students with the experience of serving others, especially women and children, on the margins. The Rural HealthCare Student Experience trip, in partnership with the Sisters of Notre Dame and St. Claire HealthCare, involves job shadowing and community service in Kentucky.
Students attend class-level retreats once per year that provide intentional space and time for students to grow in faith and love of community, self, others, and God.
Retreats are held off campus and lead students on a pilgrimage through their lives to discover who they are as it relates to a particular theme, and through that process, they lean on each other as sisters and discover that they are not alone.
All of our retreats draw strongly from the Catholic tradition and include teachings, prayers, and reflections of the Catholic Church. However, the themes and universal truths discovered on retreat are applicable to all those who attend with an open heart and mind.
This retreat theme is kindness and reflects on the teachings of Saints with special emphasis on the “Little Way” as proposed by St. Therese of Lisieux, who we call the little flower. Students learn that to love is to love in the little acts of kindness and courtesy that seem small but make a big impact.
This retreat theme is Christian Community and helps students discover the NDA Family to which they belong. They learn how it has impacted the lives of upper-class women, how it can impact them, and how they can contribute to its harmony and impact on others.
This retreat theme is Love of Self and reflects on how one is Bold, Brilliant, Beautiful, and Blessed and how as classmates they can support each other in remembering that truth.
This retreat theme is Love of Neighbor and reflects on one’s unique and holy gift of femininity. Students unpack four identities of a woman: daughter, sister, bride, and mother. Through this, they come to recognize how they have been loved and move towards understanding how they are called to love others.
This retreat is called Kairos which is an ancient Greek word meaning moment of decision. The theme is Love of God and challenges students to make a decision about the role God will play in their lives.
Because we know sports teach more than skills, NDA is also the first all-girls school in Ohio to have the SportsLeader program for integrating Catholic virtues into our athletics. SportsLeader focuses on three pillars: Virtue, Ceremony, and Catholic Identity, conveying them through activities, traditions, and events led by players and coaches.
We'd love to have you as an Eagle! Learn how to apply for the 2025 - 26 school year.
APPLY TODAY!
By continuing to use our site, you agree to our Terms of Use.