This content is sponsored by The Academy of the Holy Cross.
The Academy of the Holy Cross, an all-girls Catholic high school in Kensington, Maryland, is dedicated to forming young women who live with courage, compassion and scholarship. Principal Kathy Hannah says AHC’s mission is rooted in empowering every student to discover her strengths, find her voice and grow into a confident leader.
“What makes Holy Cross special is that every student is truly seen,” Hannah said. “They are encouraged to bring their whole selves — strengths, challenges and all — and we walk with them as they grow.”
That commitment to possibility plays out across academics, arts, athletics, service and faith. Rooted in Catholic tradition, Holy Cross offers students opportunities to grow not only in knowledge but also in character, with values that guide them well beyond high school.
Holy Cross provides a full range of AP, Honors and Dual Credit courses, as well as the Sancta Crux Honors Program, which gives highly motivated students pathways to dive deeply into either humanities or science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). For students with diagnosed learning differences, the St. Mary’s Program provides strategies and coaching to unlock academic success — demonstrated when both the valedictorian and salutatorian two years ago graduated as members of this program.
That commitment to meeting each student’s needs begins as soon as they arrive. The Freshman Advisory Program helps ease the transition from middle school to high school, providing ninth graders with a dedicated team of specially trained advisers who walk with them through their first year.
Courage, compassion and scholarship in action
The values of courage, compassion and scholarship are not abstract ideals at Holy Cross — they are lived out every day by students.
- Courage: For senior Gabby Hill, Class of 2024, courage meant stepping onto the stage for the very first time. Though she had never performed before, she auditioned for the spring musical “Mean Girls” and was cast.
“Holy Cross gave me the confidence to step way outside my comfort zone,” Gabby said. “It was the best risk I’ve ever taken.”
- Compassion: Sophomore Eleanor Dagan, Class of 2026, showed compassion when she led students from the Moreau Options Program — a program for students with intellectual and developmental disabilities — in a dance performance at the Catholic Coalition for Special Education gala. In front of hundreds of guests, Eleanor made sure her peers shone.
“At Holy Cross, compassion isn’t just taught — it’s lived,” Eleanor said.
Scholarship: At Holy Cross, scholarship extends beyond the classroom. Molly McDonogh, a 2023 valedictorian who is now excelling in Notre Dame’s engineering program, also shared her vocal talents by performing the national anthem at school events and for professional sports teams in Washington, D.C. In addition, she competed as a dedicated athlete. Her story reflects how Holy Cross students embrace every opportunity—academically, artistically, and athletically— to achieve at the highest level.
A tradition of excellence and leadership
In addition to its rigorous academics and strong community, Holy Cross fosters leadership through athletics, performing arts and service. From Kairos retreats to the Day of Service, from championship teams to standout musical productions, students discover their gifts and learn to lead with confidence.
“Scholarship here is about more than grades,” one recent valedictorian said. “It’s about discovering what you’re capable of.”
Holy Cross graduates are accepted to selective colleges and universities across the country, prepared not only with knowledge but with the courage and compassion to make a difference.
“At Holy Cross, our students don’t just prepare for the future,” Hannah said. “They shape it.”
