12 Colors, One Mission: Forming the Next Generation of Women of Faith

At St. Catherine of Siena Academy, our mission is to educate young women to be leaders with strong faith, intellect, and character — women who will go out into the world ready to live the truth and joy of the Gospel. The heartbeat of that mission is our faculty. They bring their talents, faith, and dedication into every lesson, conversation, and moment with our students.

Last week, on August 4, our faculty returned for a week grounded in faith, fellowship, and fresh starts. We began with our annual retreat in Detroit, celebrating Mass at Holy Cross Church — a parish that has served faithfully for 120 years — and visiting the Cathedral for the Journey with the Saints. The day was a time of spiritual renewal, reminding us of the sacred call we share as Catholic educators.

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During our first meeting back, I shared a reflection inspired by St. John Paul II’s Letter to Women:

“Thank you, women, for the gift of your womanhood... for making the world more human by your ability to see others with your heart.”

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To symbolize the beauty and diversity of the gifts we nurture in our students, each faculty and staff member received a bookmark along with a box of 12 colored pencils — a reminder that together, we bring God’s masterpiece to life. Each color carries a special meaning: joy, courage, faith, growth, creativity, wisdom, peace, foundation, resilience, compassion, hope, and discernment.

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This reflection connects each color to a virtue or quality we seek to inspire in our students:

💛 Yellow – Joy → Your joy becomes her confidence.
❤️ Red – Courage → Help her stand tall, even when it’s hard.
💙 Blue – Faith → Teach her to trust in a God who sees her.
💚 Green – Growth → Cultivate more than grades; nurture her becoming.
🧡 Orange – Creativity → Encourage her to co-create with God.
💜 Purple – Wisdom → Guide her toward understanding, not just knowledge.
🩵 Light Blue – Peace → Model calm in a noisy world.
🤎 Brown – Foundation → Build on faith, love, and consistency.
🖤 Black – Resilience → Show her how to grow through setbacks.
🩷 Pink – Compassion → Help her see Christ in the forgotten.
⚪ White – Hope → Remind her the dawn always follows the storm.
🩶 Gray – Discernment → Teach her to hear God’s whisper.

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These 12 colors reflect our one mission — to help each student become the masterpiece God designed her to be.

This year, my hope is that each of our Stars — like a pencil sharpened for a purpose — will let God write something beautiful through her life.

As I reflect on our week together, I’m reminded of what I hear in every senior exit interview: our students treasure the teachers here — right alongside the sisterhood they share and the blessing of daily Mass. That is no accident. We invest deeply in supporting our faculty so they can use their gifts fully in service of our mission and your daughters.

Here’s to a year of joy, courage, and faith — and to discovering the masterpiece God is creating in every Star.

With gratitude and excitement,
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Judy Hehs
Principal, St. Catherine of Siena Academy

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