| On April 16, the broad reach of the RSHM Network of Schools will become very apparent as students from 10 Marymount schools gather for the fourth annual RSHM Middle School Sports Festival. Representing Italy, France, England, Portugal, the United States, Mexico, and Colombia, more than 200 students, faculty, and staff will gather in Rome for a weekend of sports competition, site-seeing, and great fun. Following the success of the first three Middle School Sports Festivals held in England and Portugal, Marymount International School and Istituto Marymount on Via Nomentana will serve as hosts for this year's event. The tournament will kick off with a colorful opening ceremony here at MMI on the afternoon of Thursday, April 17. Jumping right into the action, the students will then participate in friendly competition, with matches in soccer, basketball, and volleyball on our campus and at Nomentana throughout the rest of the day Thursday, all day Friday, April 18, and Saturday morning, April 19. While the athletic competitions will serve as the central focus of the festival, the visiting students and their local counterparts will enjoy the opportunity to tour Rome and participate in evening fun and games. All of the athletes, including the players from MMI and Nomentana, as well as their coaches and chaperones, will stay together at Fraterna Domus retreat center in Sacrofano. Having everyone together in one place will help to fully realize the sense of community spirit that arises from such a gathering. A closing ceremony and Mass will take place on Sunday morning before the various participants depart for their home countries with many great memories of their weekend and new friends in Rome. We encourage all parents to come out to the tournament and cheer on the players during the matches here and at Nomentana. On Saturday, April 19, the Parents Organization will hold its ever-popular International Food Day, providing even more incentive for families to spend an afternoon on campus watching the tournament's matches and enjoying fantastic food. |
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