Catholic Schools Week Essays \\ Olympia Pissios

Written by Olympia Pissios

St Francis de Sales  once  said, “ Do not lose courage in considering your own imperfections.”  St Francis has taught me so many things like how to love myself and others. My St Francis experience has been amazing, I've been taught how to use my face, come together as a community, and excellence.

Community means a feeling of fellowship with others, as a result of sharing common attitudes, interests, and goals. St Francis is very familiar with the word community, as we practice it everyday.  For example, during covid in the tough times we still gathered every Wednesday for online Mass. We also had Second Grade Buddies that we help throughout the year and get to know.  In my personal experience throughout the years I have formed a community with volleyball and basketball teammates. I have gotten to know my best friends here at St Francis.  We don't just practice community, we also help serve others. Things I do to show my services are being in NJHS and president of the student council, I have learned so much from Mr. Walker, Mrs. Guduto, Mrs. Salt, Mrs. Sprinkle. The school also comes together and holds fundraisers and drives. For example, the toy drive that gives toys to people who don't have as much as us, food drive where we can food donations to different organizations, Glove and Supply Drive where we donate gloves for the winter and supplies to other schools that need it, Heifer Intl Services project to help people be free from hunger and poverty, and so much more.

Another factor that makes St Francis very special and unique is that I can talk about my faith in every class. It doesn't matter if I'm in language arts or history class, I am able to make connections with my faith whenever and wherever.  I can also talk to my classmates about my faith and how strongly I believe in it. I don't have to hide my face or be ashamed about it because St Francis has made a safe place to talk about how I feel and to spread the good news. St Francis also has prayer services and we pray together in the morning which also makes my day better knowing that I have prayed with my classmates in the school. 

St Francis does not only help us with community and our face, it also helps us academically.  I have never been so confident of my grades because of how my teachers have prepared me for every test, homework, and even lessons I'll be seeing in the future. The grading scale might be challenging and hard to achieve at times, but I feel very prepared for high school and what is yet to come knowing I've gone through school getting good grades at a hard grade Level. St Francis has also won 2 Blue Ribbon Awards. This shows the teachers help us academically and push us to try to to be our best!

St Francis has played a really big role in my life. I have learned so much about community, service, faith, and excellence. I feel very prepared for the upcoming years in high school. I wonder what my life would be like if I never attended St Francis de Sales School.