As I enter my last semester at Xavier High School, I have begun to understand how big of an effect Catholic education has had on me and my peers. While the education at Xavier is great, Catholic education provides more than just basic knowledge. It offers a unique environment in which we can learn and grow.

After being homeschooled until sixth grade, three aspects of Catholic schools that have stood out to me are friendly teachers and peers, an emphasis on faith, and great athletics, and the outstanding activities programs. These factors all work together to mold Xavier students into the young adults who will walk across the stage in May.

Teachers at Xavier always want the best for their students and do their best to help them succeed. I can’t name a time when the teachers were not willing to provide extra help either before or after school. If I were to miss class for one reason or another, the teachers will often go out of their way to go over and provide me with the material that I missed. One great example of this is Mrs. Whitt. In her precalculus course, we are able to retake any part of a test one time for a better score. On the last day of the fall semester, Mrs. Whitt’s room was filled with 30+ students from across her various classes wanting to retake tests. Even though we were told multiple times not to wait until the last minute, Mrs. Whitt was still willing to answer any questions we had and allowed us to retake the tests.

Every faculty member at Xavier does their best to strengthen the faith of the students. Everything we partake in at Xavier is faith related. While my faith has been strengthened greatly by experiences such as Kairos, there are many other little things that help strengthen my faith. Every day begins with a prayer led by one of the faculty members. They choose a message that will get across to the students and relate our faith to our daily lives. Every class also begins with taking a minute or two to say a quick prayer before diving into the day’s lesson. This opportunity to have prayer during our school day is something that public schools cannot offer, and is another advantage of attending Catholic school.

Athletics have always been a big part of life at Xavier. Sports provide another dimension to learning. Throughout my time at Xavier, I have witnessed and experienced the effect sports can have on someone’s character. Soccer has taught me lessons that can’t be learned in the classroom. I have learned how to work hard for something and put myself aside for the betterment of a team.

After spending almost seven years in the Catholic school system, I am able to witness the quality of education that is received at Xavier and Regis. It goes beyond the curriculum and prepares us for life once we graduate.