SENIOR SPOTLIGHT
Throughout the year we take pride in highlighting our successful alumni. Most recently we announced that Tom Hayes '80 would be presented with this year's National Catholic Education Association Distinguished Graduate Award on January 31. One of the staples of the 'e' Blue and Gold are the Alumni Brief features. Last year we also had several of our graduates who were seniors in high school create videos tracing back some of their current success to their education at Saints Peter and Paul School.
This year we introduce two new initiatives. One is called Senior Spotlight which will again chronicle accomplishments of our well rounded graduates in their final year of high school. The other is identified as Ready to Make their Mark which will profile those seniors in college who will receive their undergraduate degree this spring.
We begin our profiles with a look at what
Daniel Phillip '14
has accomplished since he matriculated to Benet Academy.
Extra-curricular involvement:
Football (4 years); S.A.L.T.
(Serving and Loving Together) 3 years;
National Honor Society (3 years); St. Wenceslaus Servers of St. Procopius Abbey (4 years); March For Life Participant (junior and senior years); Spanish Club (4 years); Science Department Lab Aide (4 years).
Awards or Accomplishments:
National Honor Society (Sophomore, Junior, and Senior years); National
Honor Society Executive Board leader, Administrative liaison (senior year); First Honors every semester; Illinois State Scholar; Recipient of "The Bob Shields Sportsmanship Award" (football, senior year).
Service Involvement:
S.A.L.T.; SASED volunteer (School Association for Special Education in DuPage County); March for Life; Abbey Server
College plans: I have been accepted at Marquette, Indiana, Wisconsin, Tulane, and Fordham. I am waiting to hear from Notre Dame, Viillanova, Boston College, and Michigan before making my decision.
Career goal: I am planning on pursuing a career in Accounting.
What I learned at SSPP that helped me in high school:
Attending SSPP for nine years helped me to value
Catholic education and the freedom to practice my faith and grow in spirituality. I am fortunate to be at a Catholic high school, Benet Academy, to continue my Catholic education and learn from the Benedictine tradition of
Ora et Labora.
I learned to always put God first and keep him close to my heart.
Teacher at SSPP who had a big influence on me:
I remember being in Mrs. Manza's first grade classroom. At the beginning of the year I was upset with myself because I was reading 'choppy.' Mrs. Manza told me I had to read 'smooth, like a river.' Thankfully Mrs. Manza always believed in me, motivated me, and worked tirelessly to help make me a good reader.
I credit her for making me a great reader and instilling in me my love of reading. English has consistently been one of my strongest subjects and this translated to my taking AP English at Benet this year, even though the class had been
described as a 'beast of a class' before I signed up. I love the class and thank Mrs. Manza
for pushing my young first grade self.
Best Peter & Paul experiences which I cherish: There are many things about my years at SSPP which I
will never forget, but two stand out....the Timberlee trip in 7th grade and touring Washington DC in 8th grade. May Crowning was also very memorable as was winning the football championship 3 times while I played for my alma mater.
My advice to current students:
Although students may not want to hear this, my advice would be to toughen up. It seems like more and more kids have their parents running interference for them asking teachers for a re-test or a coach for a redo of a tryout, and
always making excuses to avoid consequences. If you fall, get back up. It is the hard things in life that build character, not the easy stuff.
