Michael Hurley, Saint Agnes Class of 2011, shared these comments at Mass during Catholic Schools Week. Michael currently attends Bishop O’Connell High School.
A Student’s Perspective
I have been attending Saint Agnes for ten years, since I was four. I have an older sister, a sophomore at Georgetown Visitation, who also attended Saint Agnes, and a younger sister currently in 4th grade at Saint Agnes. I have come to know Saint Agnes as a place of friends, tradition, and fun, all connected by a fantastic education. It is a place where you have a friend in every grade, a place where you can look up to someone who is five years younger than you.
Some of the traditions at St. Agnes are unforgettable; the ones I think of first are the kindergarten’s Christmas play, the fourth grade’s trip toJamestown,Virginia, and the Spelling Bee. This year, I am lucky enough to participate in some of these great traditions, but you don’t have to be in a certain grade to be a part of one; there is a tradition for nearly every grade. I have built a friendship with everyone in my grade, and with many other students in other grades.
The education Saint Agnes has given me is thorough and comprehensive. It combines core subjects such as math, history, English, science, and religion with classes in art, music, computer and Spanish. The teachers at Saint Agnes use many creative methods to help us learn about the material. In order to further explore the topics we are studying, teachers have helped us to put on plays, create videos, play board games, and even run a fashion show. These methods are very helpful in keeping students interested and engaged in their learning.
Perhaps the most important thing at Saint Agnes is the faith. We start out and end each day with a prayer. We also start each class period with a prayer. We have a school Mass once a week, and receive the Eucharist weekly. Saint Agnes is truly faith-centered, which is one of the chief reasons why I have attended the school for nearly a decade.
“My family and I love being a part of the parish and school community. I feel the community encourages students to work and interact with a sense of responsibility to each other and the community as a whole. Saint Agnes has motivated me to be the best person, student, citizen and Catholic I can be.”
Want to read another perspective?
Click here to see what alum, Joe Brough, shared about his St. Agnes experience. Joe currently attends Bishop O’Connell High School.
Click here to see what alum, Gabrielle Rivas, shared about her St. Agnes experience. Gabrielle currently attends Georgetown Visitation High School.
