EAST PROVIDENCE — St. Mary Academy-Bay View located in the Riverside section of the city kicked off celebrations of its 150th anniversary, including the start of the 2024-25 term when it welcomed its largest class of newly enrolled students in nearly a decade.

To mark the momentous occasion, Bay View will host a series of events throughout the year, beginning with a mass at the Cathedral of Sts. Peter and Paul in Providence on Sunday, Sept. 8, at 10 a.m. 

Later that same day back on  Bay View's Pawtucket Avenue campus, the school hosts a celebratory cookout at 2 p.m.

RSVP to attend the liturgy and a light reception that follows or the cookout by visiting www.bayview150.org.

Other activities and events of note scheduled during the year include 150 acts of service and 150 acts of kindness by students, and a documentary chronicling the history of Bay View which will premier in conjunction with Women’s History Month in March of 2025.

Another highlight of the celebration will be a visit from Dolores Huerta, a renowned civil rights activist, who will speak to Bay View students and alumnae with a focus on the Sisters of Mercy critical concern of non-violence.

“Bay View has extraordinary graduates,” said Bay View president Amy Gravell. “Judges, CEOs of companies, Broadway stars, scientists, teachers – countless women who have made the world a better place. We are thrilled to celebrate their contributions, as well as the contributions of the girls who are students now and those who will be, well into the future.”

A century and a half ago, the world was a vastly different place for women. Largely limited to domestic roles and by societal expectations, opportunities for girls were scarce. In 1874, Bay View was founded by the Sisters of Mercy, who dared to challenge the norm, offering a haven where young women could pursue knowledge and develop their intellect.

Now, 150 years later, the landscape has dramatically shifted, and women have broken through countless barriers. From boardrooms to laboratories, from political offices to athletic arenas, the achievements of more than 10,000 Bay View alumnae are a testament to the school’s enduring legacy.

The 2024 graduating class achieved a 100 percent graduation rate, a 100% college acceptance rate and students received close to $20 million dollars in college scholarships.

For the '24-25, Bay View the near-decade high enrollment figures includes the largest Grade 9 class since 2018.

Bay View will hold its 150th Anniversary Gala on Saturday, Nov. 16, at Rhodes on the Pawtuxet in Cranston. All proceeds will bolster Bay View's Fund for 150: Our Legacy, Their Future, which will ensure that every girl, regardless of financial circumstances, will have the opportunity to benefit from a Bay View education. Alumnae, supporters, partners, and friends are encouraged to attend.

To purchase tickets to the gala or for more information on Bay View’s 150th celebration, visit www.bayview150.org.