It was especially fitting to honor Sister Mary Hope Sieron as the newest inductee in the Bishop Watterson Homecoming Hall of Fame as Homecoming has always been her favorite BWHS tradition.

Sister Mary Hope believes Homecoming is wonderful because it is led by the students and is an integral way that the Watterson community stays connected. Former, current, and future Bishop Watterson students embrace and strengthen our sense of community through this important tradition.

Sister spent 35 years as a member of the Bishop Watterson community. In that time, she taught all four levels of English, as well as chairing the English department, directing plays, working in the school bookstore, and leading the cheerleading squad and the school newspaper. She represents all those Dominican Sisters who were so instrumental in the establishment of Bishop Watterson as a Catholic high school devoted to excellence.

Sister Mary Hope has been immersed in Catholic education all of her life. Even at a young age, she was able to recognize the sacrifices that her parents made to send her, and her three sisters, to Catholic schools. This influenced Sister tremendously and explains why her parents have been her biggest motivators in life.

Sister advanced her education by earning her bachelor’s degree from St. Mary of the Springs, which later became Ohio Dominican University, and then her master’s degree from the University of Notre Dame. She did not take her educational opportunities lightly. She hopes that all Watterson students will take the time to recognize what an advantage we are given in life by having a Catholic education background. Sister appreciates that the basics of Catholic education have remained fundamentally unchanged over the years at Bishop Watterson.  The school has preserved the four pillars of the Dominican order: prayer, study, community, and ministry. However, she believes some important changes have taken place; such as an increased emphasis on different learning styles, more technology in the classroom, and stronger efforts to prepare students for an ever changing world. Nonetheless, she believes the four pillars are still very much alive at Bishop Watterson, especially when students put the concepts they have learned in the classroom into action in our community through service.

When looking back at her time at Bishop Watterson, Sister Mary Hope cherishes her special relationships with all of the faculty, especially her A lunch crew. Some of the moments that stick with her the most are the way the Watterson community responds to adversity. When an unfortunate event occurs affecting either a student or a faculty member, the Watterson family answers the call.  She believes that helping each other through these difficult situations shows that the Bishop Watterson community is truly a family. It is these situations that reinforce our beliefs and reveal some of Bishop Watterson’s best traits.

Overall, Bishop Watterson has enabled Sister to feel a sense of fulfillment by being able to grow closer to God and to teach others. She wishes the best for all current and future Bishop Watterson students and hopes that we all realize what a special place Bishop Watterson is and how much parents and teachers sacrifice so that we can receive this holistic education. In addition, she hopes that all of us, especially the senior class, can graduate and remember what Bishop Watterson has taught us: that is, above all, we are called to restore all things in Christ.