February 20, 2026 by Notre Dame Academy
Notre Dame Academy in Hingham is proud to announce the opening of the Teixeira Family Innovation Center, a dynamic new hub designed to empower students through hands-on exploration, interdisciplinary learning, and cutting‑edge technology. The space represents a major investment in the school’s commitment to innovation and leadership, preparing young women today for tomorrow’s challenges.
NDA President Annemarie Lynch Kenneally ’80, P ’13,’15 notes, “The Teixeira Family Innovation Center reflects NDA’s commitment to empowering our girls as creators, problem solvers, and leaders. It’s a place where imagination and curiosity soars.”
The Teixeira Family Innovation Center is home to cross-departmental collaboration. Faculty across the curriculum are integrating the space into learning, enabling girls to:
- Engage in business startup simulations and modeling
- Build interactive eBooks, literary websites, and media projects
- Produce 3D models of scientific and mathematical concepts
- Participate in real-time peer editing and digital collaboration
- Explore coding, engineering design, and computational thinking
A Community Effort
NDA extends its deepest gratitude to the Teixeira Family and all the families whose generosity made the innovation center possible. A generous grant from The Yawkey Foundation provided computer workstations. All support ensures that NDA students will have access to technology and learning experiences that will prepare them for college and beyond.
NDA’s Teixeira Family Innovation Center features three distinct and interconnected spaces: Computer Lab, Engineering Lab, and Recording Studio.
Computer Lab: Digital Learning Powerhouse
Equipped with large-screen workstations and advanced software tools, the Computer Lab provides students with a secure, flexible digital environment supporting:
- Secure digital assessments
- Advanced tools such as RStudio, Tableau, Jupyter Notebook, MATLAB, Blender, Maple, Wolfram, and PhET interactive simulations
- 3D modeling and data visualization for anatomy, molecular structures, physics, and numerical modeling
- Virtual tours of museums, historical sites, national parks, operating rooms, and outer space.
Engineering Lab
The engineering space, which is also home of the Cougears, NDA’s robotics team, gives students hands‑on access to tools that turn ideas into tangible creations.
- 3D printing with platforms such as Tinkercad, onShape, SketchUp, and NASA modeling resources
- Tools for producing models and custom designs
- Engineering worktables for drilling, soldering, cutting, building, and prototyping
- Robotics Field for students to design, build, test, and iterate on physical robots.
Recording Studio
The recording studio gives students a professional environment where they can develop communication skills, digital literacy, and storytelling abilities across disciplines. It serves as a production space and learning lab, opening opportunities beyond traditional classroom work
- Full recording studio for documentaries, podcasts, PSAs, audiobooks, voiceovers, soundscapes, and multimedia presentations
About Notre Dame Academy
Sponsored by the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur, NDA is an independent Catholic school in Hingham for girls in grades 6-12. The school’s mission is to educate the next generation of Billiart leaders, preparing girls for life. As the first all-girls Catholic day school in Massachusetts, Notre Dame Academy has offered an exceptional all-girls’ experience since 1853.