As the 2025–2026 school year comes to a close, St. Mary’s students have witnessed many important events both on campus and around the world. Within the school community, athletic achievements, new staff members, and student activities helped shape the year. Outside of school, major international events such as preparations for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, developments in global politics, and public health concerns captured worldwide attention. Looking back, the arrival of Mr. Geoffrey Hon and the continued growth of student athletics were among the most significant school stories, while global health concerns and international political developments were some of the most important events beyond campus.
At St. Mary’s, several stories stood out throughout the year. The track and field team celebrated success as Joel Mbagwu (’29) qualified for the Far East competition in Hiroshima with a long jump of 5.83 meters. The school also welcomed new middle school counselor Mr. Geoffrey Hon, who joined the community from Australia and shared his goals of supporting students. Other notable stories included the continued popularity of Brawl Stars among students, the baseball team’s season, and features on the school’s historic sakura trees. Of these stories, the arrival of Mr. Hon may have been the most important because his role impacts students every day by providing support and guidance. Together, these stories highlighted the achievements, interests, and traditions that make up student life at St. Mary’s.
Beyond campus, students followed a variety of important world events. Preparations for the 2026 FIFA World Cup generated excitement among football fans, while international leaders met to discuss security and economic cooperation. One example was Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk’s visit to Japan, where he met with Japanese leaders and members of the Polish community in Tokyo. Public health developments, including concerns over Ebola cases in Central Africa, also received global attention. Of these events, the Ebola outbreak may have been the most significant because it affected multiple countries and reminded the world of the importance of international cooperation in public health. These events demonstrated how developments around the world can affect millions of people and remain important for students to understand as global citizens.
