Starting out in kindergarten, I never really realized the difference between my Catholic school and the school all my neighborhood friends went to. All I ever wondered was why I didn’t get to go to school with them. As second grade came around and I received my communion, a lot changed. This was a huge eye opener for me and I began to appreciate all that my school had to offer. I finally understood the reasoning behind mass every Sunday, and every first Friday of the month. I found myself getting excited for it because I was learning new things about this amazing faith I was born into. I finally understood the reasoning for having a period dedicated to learning about God. I started asking questions and becoming more curious.

        I loved showing up to mass after a morning soccer game and feeling so special to be able to go up and receive the bread representing God’s body. Through my next sacrament of confirmation, I was older and much more mature and became to appreciate what my parents have done for me by sending me to a Catholic school. The entire setting, the people I was blessed to be around each and every day, and the amazing education I was given has built me into the person I am today.
        When high school came around, I knew I wanted to continue this type of education, and thankfully my parents were completely on board. Within these four years, my relationship with God has grown more than expected. Through the numerous amounts of obstacles high school has thrown at me, I have been able to turn to him for absolutely anything. I am so thankful to have someone to just reflect with and help me get through the losses in my life. It is going to be a great feeling to walk down at graduation knowing my morals and beliefs remained in tact due to my Catholic education for these past four years. I am very excited to continue this in college and for the rest of my life. I am the person I am today due to Catholic school and this is something I will cherish forever.

By Brittany Lopes ’18