Student Perspectives

Wondering about our Catholic schools and our outcomes? There are no better people to hear from then our students on the impact their Catholic education has had on them. 

Good Afternoon to everyone gathered here today, but in a special way, I want to welcome my family.
 
When most people think of a family, they think of their immediate family, mothers and fathers, sisters and brothers, grandparents and so on. But, is that really the extent of one's family?
 
We commonly hear that our family is the people that teach us, and help us grow, and our immediate family certainly dose plenty in this regard. However, there are so many more that do so much to help us along the way. So when we think of a family, why should they be excluded?
 
We also commonly hear that we are able to choose our friends but not our family, but why should our friends and our family be separated from one another. Surely if we love and care for and show compassion for our friends, they should be included when we think of a family.
 
My family is large.

I have a sister, a mother and a father, grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins. They have loved me, cared for me, taught me, and made me who I am today. However, they are not my entire family.
 
The twenty-six beaming graduates that sit before me today are a part of my family. We’ve laughed together, cried together, fought together, and learned together. I’ve had the pleasure of watching all of you develop into outstanding young men and women while also learning and growing alongside you. You have been my rock to lean on when times get difficult, and you’ve illuminated my life with constant laughter and joy. We’ve sung together outside St. Joseph Middle School, we’ve laughed through Ms. Reed's history class, and we’ve cried together through all the difficult times. I can honestly stand up here and say that I chose you all as friends and you’ve become my family, and there is not a better family that I could have enjoyed these last twelve years with.
 
But remember, I said my family is large and twenty-six is anything but large.
 
My family includes the parents of these twenty-six graduates. You have all done your part to raise these strong young men and women, and you made the choice to make your child a part of the St. Philip community. I can say with confidence that my family would not be the same if you hadn’t made the choice, and I would like to thank you all for the opportunity to grow up with your sons and daughters. 

My family includes the staff that makes up the Battle Creek Area Catholic Schools family. You’ve shown immense patience as you’ve guided my class and me through the difficulties of elementary, middle, and high school. You have helped us develop and have given us the ability to stand on our own two feet and walk out into the world with our heads held high. My family would not be the same if not for your contributions, and I would like to thank you all for all the dedication you’ve invested in our success.

My family includes Father John and Father Marotti and all the clergy and staff that make-up St. Philip Parish and the Diocese of Kalamazoo. You’ve allowed the light of faith to enter the lives of Christ’s love. My family would not be the same without the faith formation you’ve offered, and I like to thank you all for the many faith-filled lessons you’ve shared with us.
 
And finally, most important, my family includes those who started this journey with us but are not here to see its conclusion. Thank you, Coach Francisco, for teaching us the most important thing in life is giving 101% in everything you do. Thank you, Mr. May, for showing us that the only thing that limits the size of your family is the width of your smile and the love in your heart. Thank you, Coach Brown, for showing us that a team cannot be a team without everyone’s effort. I know that my family would not be the same if it weren’t for all of these men’s contributions.
 
As you can see, my family is quite large. It is made up of classmates and parents, the staff, clergy, and coaches, all of whom have had a deep lasting impact on my life. Even though we are all moving apart to pursue our own ambitions, I am confident that my family will remain unbroken. I have never been closer to twenty-six people in my life, and I’m sure I’ll never be this close to twenty-six people ever again. Class of 2018, as we step forward from this day into the rest of our lives, remember the lessons of those that have gone before us. Find your dream, and pursue it, test yourself along the way, but don’t be afraid to look back at the friends and experiences that you shared here at St. Philip Catholic Central. And remember, that you will be a part of my family, always.

Thank You
 

Good afternoon fellow students, teachers, and parents:
 
It is an honor to stand here before you today as the salutatorian of the class of 2018. I cannot begin to express how thankful I am for my classmates, teachers, and my parents for always pushing me farther than I thought possible. Without all of you, I would not have been able to acquire the skills, or “pieces”, that I needed to get here. Now the reason I say pieces is because life is very complicated, almost like a Rubik’s cube. And to find success in life, or to complete the puzzle, you have to have all the pieces.

So to start at the beginning, I’d like to talk about my parents. Without them, I wouldn’t be here at all. Without them teaching me how to walk, I would not be able to run. Without them setting an example, I would not have the two amazing role models in my life that I’ve looked up to since the day I was born. Most importantly, without them showing me how to live my faith, I would not have known how to do it on my own. I remember how excited I was on my first day of school as I walked out the front door in my red school polo and khaki shorts with my awesome new Spiderman backpack. That day was only the beginning of the adventure of a lifetime.
 
It almost seems like time has flown by and that first day of school was just yesterday. However, I know I’ve grown and learned an incredible amount in what seems like such a short time. I remember my elementary school teachers teaching me how to do long division and multiplication. I remember Trevor and I switching places for half of the day in kindergarten without getting caught. Without all the incredible teachers I’ve had during my education, I would not even be close to where I am today. They gave me skills that have become so fundamental, I could not live without them. They have inspired me to push myself and set goals for myself that were higher than I ever thought I could achieve. Lastly, one of the things I am most grateful for is for them teaching me about my faith. At a public school, I would not have been able to learn about my faith every single day. There wouldn’t have been a prayer at the end of every day or mass every week. My teachers always showed me what it meant to live out your faith.

But at the end of it all, my classmates are the ones who have given me so many of the pieces I needed to solve the puzzle of life. Many of them I’ve known since kindergarten and all of them I’ve known for at least a couple of years. Our class is like family and we’ve done a lot together. From singing songs in advisory outside of Mr. Steel’s room to struggling through high school together. From our first middle school dance to our last prom. From our freshman year retreat to our senior year one. The memories I’ve made with all of you are ones that I will never let go of. Yes there may have been struggles and sometimes we may not have seen eye to eye but in the end, we were like a family. We’ve always stuck together and helped each other up when one of us stumbled. You guys have helped show me what it means to be brothers and sisters, and that is something I can never repay.

And although I know almost all of us are ready to say goodbye to high school, one thing is for sure. I am not ready to say goodbye to all of you. However, I leave here today with my head held high because I am proud to call you guys my family. I will never forget the family I have here at St. Phil and I hope that none of you do either because, in the end, family is what makes life seem less complicated. Family is what will make all the pieces in the puzzle of life fall into place.
 
Thank you.