Ryan Crane '08
Melissa Garabedian '08
Bishop Fenwick: The Light Amongst Darkness
By Melissa Garabedian '08
In today's society, where the importance of education is greater than ever, the value of a Catholic education is becoming immeasurable. Bishop Fenwick High School not only prepares you for college, but more importantly it prepares you for life. At Bishop Fenwick High School, students are encouraged to work to their full potential to contribute to a community rooted in peace and justice, and to respect the uniqueness and worth of every human being.
Throughout my past four years at Bishop Fenwick, I have acquired many values that I will keep for the rest of my life. Through service programs such as Outreach and Operation Charlie, I have been able to give back to the surrounding community and appreciate those less fortunate. The satisfaction I feel after visiting local nursing homes and wrapping gifts for orphans is incalculable. These service programs would not be successful without the cooperation of the administrators and staff at Bishop Fenwick. These hard-working, dedicated men and women produce a nurturing Catholic school environment. This environment makes my decision to volunteer at open houses, speak at local grammar schools, and generally spread the good news about Fenwick's wonderful Catholic school education effortless.
Recently, I have had the pleasure of speaking to graduates of Fenwick who believed that Fenwick definitely prepared them for college and for life. Their study habits, work ethics and moral values have been the cornerstones of their success. These students have taken what their Fenwick teachers, administration and coaches have taught them and shared it with their communities and the real world.
In a world where darkness seems to sometimes prevail, a Catholic education can help light the way to success.
Bishop Fenwick Providing a Sturdy Foundation for Success
By Ryan Crane'08
In his article "Social Capital and the Development of Youth", James S. Coleman describes the benefits of Catholic education, writing:
Here is where Catholic and other schools based on a religious foundation have an advantage. The community and its central institution, the church, provide the social capital which can give the school staff and the family the support necessary to discourage youth in their care from merely taking the easiest path in high school.
In this short passage from Coleman's article, he points out why Catholic education prepares students not only for college but for living out their vocations. Based on Coleman's thesis, the strength, unity, and success of Catholic institutions can be attributed to the existence of a close-knit community that is structured around The Mass and school activities. This communal nature of Catholic schools allows students to gain confidence by participating in challenging academic courses, athletic or drama programs, and various service projects. The students develop the confidence to challenge themselves knowing that the school's community will always support and reward diligent work. Bishop Fenwick High School exemplifies this characteristic of Catholic education by providing its students with an encouraging environment so that students can learn important life lessons that can't be found in textbooks.
Students at Bishop Fenwick High School do not drift through school without becoming involved in the greater school community. Whether students juggle multiple varsity sports, actively participate in the drama club, or volunteer their time working for the student government, they contribute to the school. Fenwick students don't stop there; many students focus on the communities surrounding Fenwick and donate their time through volunteer work. This heightened sense of community involvement at Fenwick and throughout local neighborhoods teaches students the responsibility that we all have to serve the less fortunate. "Fenwickians" also learn other lessons from their extracurricular activities that connect back to the classroom. Students involved in extracurricular activities learn how to prioritize, and this attention to prioritizing not only prepares them for college but helps reveal what is important in life. As they progress through high school, students find themselves wanting to become more involved with not only the Fenwick community but with those who need care from others.
Bishop Fenwick prepares its students for college and most importantly for life by encouraging a challenging academic curriculum and by teaching how to live life in the way that Jesus intended. As education has become so competitive, Fenwick students find themselves ready for the challenges that college or life experiences will present. Just as the Catholic faith relies on the local church community for strength and stability, so too, does Bishop Fenwick emphasize solidarity by offering its students a sturdy foundation for success.