The Mary Louis Academy in Jamaica Estates, N.Y. is a Catholic college preparatory school for young women sponsored by the Sisters of St. Joseph of Brentwood, N.Y., and rooted in their charism of unity, reconciliation, and inclusive love that embraces all of creation. In an atmosphere that fosters academic excellence and respect, we seek to empower young women to realize and value their own unique gifts – intellectual, social, and spiritual – and to use their gifts as leaders in creating a just society. We are a community that celebrates cultural diversity and continues the Catholic tradition of service and follows the core values of the Sisters of St. Joseph. In the midst of The Great Depression of the 1930’s, when the prevailing spirit was one of pessimism, building a school was a statement of belief in the future, and in the contributions of Catholic education to that future. The founders of Mary Louis were women of great faith and vision. They saw the women who graduated from Mary Louis as a force for good in society. The Mary Louis woman would make a difference. And she has.