Lexus of Massapequa wants to know how your school has helped you pursue your potential!

Matthew Colon
Grace Christian Academy
Eighth Grade

When I first came to Grace Christian Academy, I had no idea what to expect. As I walked into the classroom, my classmates didn’t discriminate or bully me because of my unique left hand and that I was adopted from China at three and a half years old. In fact, that intrigued them even more. I was soon crowded by my classmates who asked many questions about my hand and what China was like [Even though I barely remembered anything about China.] I was embraced by a loving “family” that cared for me and soon became my best friends. My teachers and classmates helped me foster my growth and become the young man I am now. This school treats everyone like family. If you come into the school, the students will embrace you like they’ve known you for a long time. This is what happened with me the first day I came to the school. Ever since that first day, I’ve been a part of the “Family”. Thanks to my school, I have become more disciplined. I have done better in my academics, my social life, and my sports life due to discipline. Discipline has helped me and my volleyball team, win both games we played so far against other schools. Being disciplined is extremely hard for some people, and might be easy for others. Discipline helped me to become a representative for my class among two, and for my school among eight people, in the North-Eastern regional Spelling Bee. I participated in this spelling bee on Friday, November 22, 2013. Discipline has also helped me to do well so far in my academics this year. There is another great aspect that my school teaches. And that is leadership. This year, our headmaster [principal] is focusing more on separating the leaders from the group, teaching them how to lead, and then putting them back into the group, so they can lead their friends and take charge in some difficult situations. A few years before, the teachers taught the entire student body how to become leaders. And thanks to their guidance, I became a patrol leader in my Royal Rangers patrol at my church. I used what knowledge I had on leadership to my advantage. With God, nothing is impossible. So with His help, and the help of my wonderful and loving teachers and friends, I can surpass my potential, and become the man God has called me to be. My God, teachers, and friends will do their best to help me work up to my full potential, no matter how hard the road is. Now that is perseverance.

Imagine that when you decide on a college, after working hard on academies over the past twelve years, you finally complete your application. Expectations are through the roof and the long-waited response arrives! A big package on your mailbox which reads: Yes! You have been accepted, Yes! You are the perfect candidate for out university, Yes! Your G.P.A. is high enough for a scholarship in our college. Without a doubt, YES! is the answer we would all like to hear.
This is the main reason why I love all the programs offered at my middle school. I’m a seventh grader that attends the Charles A. Mulligan Middle School at Central Islip NY. My principal is Dr.Tracy Hudson. I love my principal because she loves all student in my middle school, and demands that all go to college. Our mission at our school is “college, career and beyond, we are all in this together.” She says this every morning during the announcements.
Dr. Hudson is also the director of one of my favorite programs in my middle school, which is the Youth Enrichment Services (YES). Dr. Hudson focus for all the students who attend the YES program, is college career and beyond.
A higher education has always been in my future plans. I have two sisters, who both went to college and are now successful professional. However, I always questioned myself on whether I would be able to do the same. The YES program makes me look at college as a reality, not just a dream. I feel as if I was already enrolled in a college. For example, our site coordinator created college success 1 0 1 in which we are divided into different Ivy League colleges. I am a member of Columbia University, which is one of the best universities in the country.
We also need to have some fun and the YES program offers fun activities such as basketball, Castle Learning, wellness walk, cooking, drama, dancing, and on Fridays we play Nintendo Wii, and board mind enrichment games. These activities help me remember the importance of being active. Also, higher education is for artistic students as well, which have a passion for writing, acting, and also dancing.
The YES program offers a homework session. I feel especially thankful for this because it helps me save a lot of time. I no longer need to do my homework at home. It also helps me create a good relationship with my mentors, I know that I can count on them anytime. Little tips are given to us on how to be prepared, responsible and organized to prepare for college.
Overall, I am very happy to be enrolled in the YES program, what I am taught now helps me with my classes, the YES Program is fun and I feel more motivated to go to school. Even better, it has also helped me see college very reachable, which is a very great feeling to have. Did you imagine getting your application responded to? Well so I did, and thanks to the YES program I now have the tools that I need to make that YES happen!

Catherine Kuhner October 31, 2013
St. Mary School 8B

The Pursuit of Potential

I attend Saint Mary School in East Islip. I am the Vice President of Student Council and I'm also a member of the National Junior Honor Society. Activities that are after school, such as extra help and sports practice help me grow mentally, but one thing that really stands out to me is the teachers.
The teachers at Saint Mary are exceptional. They help me on anything I don't understand. For example, one day we were learning about exponents in math. I didn't quite understand the concept, so I went up to my math teacher, Miss. Rotkiewicz. As soon as she found out I did not understand, she spent one on one time with me, firmly explaining the concept, until I finally understood. The teachers here stay after school every Monday for extra help on their own time. This is a chance for me to ask the teachers any questions I have about the topic that we are learning about.
Overall, I like how the teachers spend a big amount of time on a topic if you don't get it. In my opinion, this is what makes my school unique. They thoroughly cover the topic for you and answer any other questions you have. Obviously, if I didn't have teachers who care about my future, I wouldn't be where I am today; Vice President of Student Council and a member of the National Junior Honor Society.

Vincent Ingardia 11/8/13
Middle school was a great experience. There were people that made this a good experience and some people that made it a bad, but mostly good.
On person that made middle school special was Dr. Coladonato. He was strict so right when I would get home, I would do his homework right away and make sure I did it because if I didn’t, I knew I would be in trouble. We also had a lot in common, like hockey, which made us closer in a teacher student way. We also had another co teacher that we were very close with. We all had one thing in common, hockey. We liked different teams so when these teams would play agents each other, the next morning would be a living hell for the losing team.
Coach Donovan, the 8th grade basketball coach, would also put a lot of hope into my day. I would wake up every morning and think to myself that I didn’t want to go to school. But then I would remember that if I went to school that basketball would be a reward for the day and would get my mind off thing that was going on threw out the day. This coach changed my middle school experience by bringing joy to my day and made me look forward to the end of the day.
This coach and teacher changed my character in a big way and helped me think that school wasn’t such a bad place to be.

Michael Caruso
Our Lady of Wisdom
Being part of Our Lady of Wisdom has made me learn many things over the nine years I’ve been in one. I have learned that we are not a school, we are all a family. Everyone fits in and is loved at Catholic school. I’ve learned many of the morals and values I know today by being Catholic. Little did I know these morals and values would have such an impact of how my personality is today.
Out of all the years I went to Our Lady of Wisdom, I’ve learned that you will be loved no matter what, and you will learn to love one another just like Jesus did. Catholic school has shown me how to love one another and that reflected upon my discipline and maturity. It built my charcter and made me feel comfortable talking to others and being social. Without Catholic school I would have never been social. I would have been the quiet one sitting in the corner alone. At Catholic school no one sits alone. Everyone sits together at lunch and being this close and talking everyday builds me to become a more social person.
Our Lady of Wisdom has also showed me how to relate to the reading in church and lessons Jesus taught. “Treat others how you would want to be treated,” was a lesson by Jesus, also known as the Golden Rule. I have followed this rule ever since my second grade teacher told me that when I was younger. This inspired me to become a helpful person and really showed me to serve others just like Jesus did when they are in need. Being a part of a Catholic school also shows me how to be a hard worker. Over the years, I have learned about how serious doing well on a test and handing in my homework on time really is. It has made me more serious about my work ethic and it has made me a hard worker ever since.
In the end, Our Lady of Wisdom will be the most important stage of my life. It has shown me how to be like Jesus and serve others. I can definitely say that my own personality would not be what it is without this Catholic school experience. I would prefer Catholic school to others because if it built the outgoing, funny, and loving personality I have today, people would be able to tell that you grew up around a Catholic family. Most importantly, I am proud to be part of a Catholic school and proud to be a Christian.

Ashar Farooq
Grade 7
Henry L Stimson Middle School

Henry L Stimson Middle School is symbolic for more than just plain good and nice. It is a place that feels like a home. A place where you feel safe and welcoming, not to mention the great feeling of compassion to learn and get out of your comfort box in order to gain success. Even though it has been roughly 2 months since I walked into this great school, I honestly believe that I know the whole school and everything about it. Believe it or not, I have grown considerably in these weeks that I have attend the school. It started with the programs to the teachers to my friends and the classes and spread throughout the school. My teachers are extremely caring and understanding of me and my fellow classmates. The first day of 7th grade turned out to be the best first day in my education life. The next day, I knew the character and the personality of most of my teachers. The first day we had an assembly where our new principal addressed that he could not tell a difference in lunch between 7 and 8 graders and my heart was filled with joy.
As time progressed, the classes and the classroom’s atmosphere was filled with the aroma of excitement. Since I was in 5 honors classes (7H), I had tests after tests and quizzes after quizzes, but I was compassionate about doing well on everything, so I studied extra hard and my teachers did a lot to help us maximize our potential. All, if not some, of my teachers gave a very well-constructed review and review materials for us before the test/quiz. Many of my teachers also offered extra help in the morning. I was a little surprised, since never before had a teacher offered extra help in the beginning of a school year. A lot of times, I had some type of questions either before a test or about something else and I was influenced by my teachers so much, that I emailed them, even though I never did it before. I also asked my teachers questions after class. Surprisingly, all the teachers I emailed replied with a decent answer. Once, I emailed Mrs.Prasad, my science teacher, a list of questions and she replied back with a lot more information and encouraged me to email back with any concerns, questions, or anything that I might have. My math teacher, Mrs. Corcoran, always has cool lessons for us using the various features of the Smartboard. They usually go with the theme like back to school or Halloween. They are really eye catching and helps enhance the lesson. The lesson are also very detailed and I understand it completely and if I don’t, I ask her questions and she explains in different ways to make me understand. My guidance counselor also helps me a lot. One time, I went to her and asked her about after-school activities and I got some ideas. My sister told me to ask her about STEP Saturday Academy. So, my guidance counselor, Mrs.Behar, gave me a form for STEP at Farmingdale State College and I got it filled out and the next Saturday, I went and it turned out to be really fun! My teachers also use their eboard for wide range of activities and information. They usually have cool PowerPoint notes and other good resources that help me review for upcoming tests/quizzes.
My school also helped me grow by providing valuable resources necessary for the 21st century like Home and Careers class, Penny Wars, Red Ribbon Week, Spirit Week, and other activities. October was considered Month of Young Adolescent and we did a lot of things pertaining to it. Honestly, they were really fun. In Home and Careers, we learned about careers and other information needed for this generation. Although, there are number of extra-curricular activities at my school, there aren't sufficient and this money would cover that and much more. In our school, we have VAP classes, classes where you get iPads to use in class in order to learn and enhance education using the advanced technology we have today. I wanted to get in it, but there aren't enough spaces and this money would take care of that. Our school would also get better ways to improve the curriculum using better resources. Honestly, I see a great future in this school and I look forward to maximizing my potential to the highest point possible.

The Importance of Classical Education in the Twenty-First Century
(Part 2 of 2)
By: Diana Margo Lorraine Barbacena
Grade 6
Grace Christian Academy


In GCA, we are also learning about ancient civilizations, Egypt, Greece and Rome. We come to know about the Middle Ages to the Renaissance Period. From the Viking Explorers to Marco Polo to Christopher Columbus, The Revolutionary War, Early American History to the Civil War. We have subjects like IEW, Composition, Grammar, Literature and Penmanship. We gained knowledge of Geography, Geometry and Physics and last but not the least, the infamous Saxon Math, which is considered one to two grades higher than other schools’ math curriculum. One of my preferred subjects is History, because for me, for us to be able to progress forward towards the twenty-first century and beyond, we must be able to understand and appreciate our past. I am certain that no matter what we do or say, History will always be our compass that guides us through the challenges we face in the twenty-first century. It will always be there, from the languages we study, in our currency, arts, science, and medicine and even in our most renowned buildings. Buildings like the Lincoln Memorial, which was designed after the Parthenon in Greece, or the Jefferson Memorial, constructed and modeled after the Pantheon in Rome. Even in the principles of our democracy we derived from Ancient Greece, the birthplace of democracy. We have faith in the ideologies of some of the prominent philosophers, like Plato, Socrates and Aristotle. The Republican form of Government that we have today is based on Ancient Rome, and what nobler way to educate us but by George Washington himself, in which he said, “A primary object should be the education of our youth in the science of government. In a republic, what species of knowledge can be equally important? And what duty more pressing than communicating it to those who are to be the future guardians of our country.”

I agree with George Washington, because to make his desire and America’s wishes come true, we need strong, intelligent, dedicated and Spirit guided leaders to advance a nation so that we will be a beacon and a shining example to the rest of the world towards the twenty-first century and to the next generation. John F. Kennedy said in his Inaugural Speech, “Ask not what your country can do for you, but ask what you can do for your country.” Perhaps, it is up to us the forthcoming leaders of our country to make George Washington’s aspirations and John F. Kennedy’s vision a reality and I believe that this is the time for us to reach for the stars, and it commences by education, not just a conventional education, but a Classical Christian Education.

Grace Christian Academy is a small private school not supported by the government and this year we are commemorating our Quindecennial Celebration. I think it is the best kept secret in education. However, I do not want it to be a secret any longer, together with this essay and your assistance through the Pursuit of Potential Essay Contest; this is an excellent opportunity to spread the Word of God and at the same time reach other people about our school.
Not only does GCA have a greater depth and competitiveness in its curriculum, our school can and will provide the necessary knowledge and essential skills to be a leader. It is instilling in me leadership abilities that will assist me and other students to succeed in middle school, high school and eventually in college.
In conclusion, I would like to thank, first of all, God for all the blessings He has given us. I also wish to thank my parents for all their love, encouragement and support. To my class teachers, Mrs. Furniss, Mrs. Matone and Mrs. Lindo and to all the GCA board members, administration, staff and faculty, thank you all.

When I was home schooled I was not focused. I did not fully apply myself to my studies and di not care for learning, never visualizing how it was injuring me in the long run. Then my mom discovered Grace Christian Academy.
Attending Grace made me realize how important school is. I was perplexed by how much they cared and di not want e to fail. Each of them used their precious time to explain every detail of each lesson to me, not only aiding me with my academics but guiding me with my spiritual life. Never have I felt closer to God than I have at GCA. I've met some of my best friends there. The friendship we share in unbreakable. A spirit of peace and kindness fills its halls and classrooms.
My favorite teacher, Mrs Walker, my Latin teacher, makes fun chants and songs to help mme memorize the vocabulary. She makes it amusing to learn another language.
Although we are a private school, we do a massive amount of activities. The field trips are so awesome. We visit many museum, parks and plays.
GCA has helped me always excel in everything and to never give up. GCA made me realize that if you apply yourself, nothing stands in your way of reaching your potential.

Nicholas Favichia
Copiague Middle School
How I Save People’s Lives
Here in my awesome school, we have a club called the Builders Club which is not what it may sound like. When you typically think of the word build, we associate it with constructing something, maybe out of wood, paper, or other things. What if I told you it was out of the kindness of mine, and my peer’s hearts; we help other people and could possibly save or improve their lives?
The Builders Club in Copiague Middle School is so influential and amazing! We have done fundraisers such as the Breast Cancer Walk at Jones Beach, we raised 2,501 dollars as of the walk (October 20, 2013). We raised more money after the walk as well. We have also done fundraisers such as a shoe drive. We donate shoes that we are not using anymore and they are donated through an organization called Give Your Sole, which cleans them up as much as they can, and then donates them to people in need. We take part in Toys for Tots as well, which is an awesome fundraiser, where we collect unused toys and donate them to children for the holidays. We have also done raised funds in the past for Autism Awareness and Down Syndrome Awareness. I love this club and I have so much fun inventing and creating new ideas with my peers to help others who are less fortunate.
Honestly, sometimes I get too overwhelmed with that feeling of being a humanitarian and I have a breaking point. It is just such an indescribable feeling of joy when you realize you have done something good for your community, or someone else. This is so inspiring for me because with this I can help someone by doing a simple thing. I can also influence other people to do the same thing and chip in where they can.
When the Builders Club participates in fundraisers, the money or items that we collect goes to someone in need. That person, either in our community, our state, our country, or even a foreign country, gets these items. Whether it is money, food, clothes, or other item, they can improve or potentially save someone’s life. This is absolutely outstanding.
I am so honored to be a part of this amazing club! It brings such joy to me and makes me feel special and amazing. I hope that every school can have a club like this to influence young people to impact and change someone else’s life. This is an amazing opportunity; I am so honored and blessed. This is definitely an awesome thing.

Maggie Harjus November 19, 2013

How O.L.O.W. Has Helped Me Grow

Our Lady of Wisdom is a great school. I have been a student here at O.L.O.W. since I was in kindergarten, and I absolutely love it. O.L.O.W. is a very small school, which is something I adore. Considering that it is so small, everyone knows who you are, and so, all of the teachers know you. All of the teachers at O.L.O.W. are so great. Whenever something is confusing, they are always willing to help. On the other side though, whenever something confuses a student, when the student who was confused finally understands it, the teachers will be right there congratulating them.
One teacher who personally helped me to grow at O.L.O.W. was Ms. Danz. Ms. Danz was the old 7th grade teacher at O.L.O.W. She only taught at my school the 2012-2013 school year, but I was one of the students that was lucky enough to have her. I am in the 7th grade now, so she was never my homeroom teacher, but I did have her for my favorite subject, science. She was an amazing teacher. She knew how much I loved science, and she did so much for me by helping me to understand it better, letting me do things that were really fun, and sending me to a camp for it. Over the summer, she sent me and three friends of mine to a camp just for science at Saint John’s University. It was awesome! See, what Ms. Danz did, was not only increase my love for science, but help me form three friendships that will last a lifetime. Overall, Ms. Danz showed me how much I could do and helped me grow here at O.L.O.W.
I also think the school, as a whole, has helped me grow for a lot of different reasons. Mainly I think that because it is such a small school, as I said earlier, you know everyone just as everyone knows you. No one is left out or is just another person in a classroom at O.L.O.W. Everyone knows who you are and cares about what you think. Because of that, I think there is a community, a family. That’s one of the reasons that I love O.L.O.W. Overall, O.L.O.W. is a great school and in the eight years I have been a student here, I have grown and learned so much.

Ruby Hogan - 7th Grade

I'll never forget when my alarm went off at 6:00 in the morning; it was so loud it could wake the whole neighborhood. I jumped out of bed shut off the alarm, had a 100 different feelings run through me and honestly, it felt like i didn't sleep a wink. This was it, I had an hour and 20 minutes to put myself together, remember all the things my parents told me and just take a minute to breathe because i was so nervous. The day was finally here. It was my first day of Middle School at Jonas Salk ! My name is Ruby Hogan and it's been one year since that first day of Middle School. I am 12 years old now, I'm in 7th grade and boy have I grown in many different ways during this past year. The changes in one year would not have happened without the help of the teachers & staff, my parents and myself ! The teaching staff and all members at Jonas Salk are truly Amazing. From what I've experienced in the last year is that the staff truly has a passion for students, for teaching, they are dedicated and they really try to provide the best education they possibly can to ALL students. For me there are 3 teacher that have made a huge impact on me this last year and that's Mr. Kind, Mr. Lassen, and Mr. Weggeland. Mr. Kind makes Math super fun and that helps me because i do struggle in Math everyday. He always gives extra help before tests and always shows the best power point presentations to prepare us better. Mr. Lassen is Great and he is my Cross Country Coach. This is my first sport and I was so nervous. He gave me the confidence i needed to absolutely love it. Mr Lassen always give me positive reinforcement which keeps me going everyday, I am currently running in the top 5. And then there's Mr. Weggeland, he's Awesome! He gives us great ways to study our material, has a texting system for reminders on tests and homework, he's extremely funny, cool and by far makes Science fun and memorable. I can't wait for his class everyday. My parents also provide me with a ton of help, support and gives me a lot of good advice both academically and socially while I'm at Salk. Even though they get stressed out with all the new material (that they don't understand), complain that there's too much homework and constantly give me examples of how things used to be compared to now !!! I don't know it still makes me wonder how they even survived back then. However, at the end of the day i see that through it all they are doing great ! As a student of Jonas Salk, I can honestly say I have definitely grown and matured this year. I have reached out more on my work, I'm trying to help others while also helping myself. I'm also finding out better studying habits and working on getting myself better motivated for doing homework. I've also made a ton of Great Friends at Salk and look forward to seeing them everyday. They are truly the best. Even though I'm still on my journey through Jonas Salk my goals are now set high to help me move forward in life. All thanks to the amazing teachers & staff for providing me with the motivation, confidence and support needed to go forward. There would be nothing greater than having my school recognized and rewarded for ALL the wonderful things they provide not only to me but to everyone. I know that my school could divide the prize of $5,000 dollars in many areas needed. First i would love to see some of the money put towards the Pantry that helps others in need. That Pantry is currently Empty !!! Our sports teams don't have the funds to provide everyone with the appropriate equipment or clothing we currently need, as of now we use hand me downs year to year. New items would be great. And of course there's always up dates needed in all rooms as well including the custodians. I'm sure my Principal would sit down with his team and make the right decisions. Again, Jonas Salk deserves the recognition and rewards for ALL they do. Remember, I still wake up to my alarm every morning, however, now I wake up without the 100 different worries I had last year. I have already created so many memories and look forward to more to come. I can honestly say I am proud to be a part of the Jonas Salk Family !!! Thank you !!!

Rebecca Finke 10-14-13
LaBella Essay


My school, the Locust Valley Middle School has helped me grow and develop in ways that could never happen if I didn’t go to this excellent school. Locust Valley has helped me mature in a number of ways, but the two programs that have impacted me the most is the sport and enrichment program.

This year, I decided to try out for the varsity soccer team. I am only in eight grade. The coaches were super nice and I had a great time playing with the older girls. Unfortunately, I got cut and sent down to junior varsity, where I just finished my season 9-0. My coach, Ms. Sumzick, helped me dearly whenever I had a problem. The girls on the team accepted me even though I was the youngest girl on the team. I learnt a lot about growing up and stepping up to a challenge, no matter how big or small, through soccer. I remember this one time when we had a game, and our sweeper (the person everyone relies on to clear the ball out of the defensive zone) got placed on varsity. My coach told me I was playing sweeper the next day. Since I usually play left defense, I felt really nervous about playing this new position. I remember feeling sick to my stomach the night before the game and telling my mom I wasn’t going to play the next day. She encouraged me to talk to my coach about this problem. The next day I asked her if someone else could play sweeper. She told me that I was the only person who she wanted to play the position because she had faith in me. When the game started, I was really shaky and out of position. However, out of encouragement from my coach and my teammates, I eventually started playing really well. I got lots of support through the game, and that’s what helped me get through the game.

Also, another thing I love about Locust Valley is the enrichment program. I usually get high grades in most of my classes and I used to get bored in class. I took this evaluation and got placed in enrichment math. I loved that class and stayed in it the remainder of the year. It helped me with concepts that we are learning just this year! Last year, in seventh grade, I took English and Social Studies enrichment. In social studies, we had to study a map with over 150 countries on it. Later in the year, we had to take the map test which I got 3 wrong out of 150+ countries and landforms. We also learned about great civilizations such as the Egyptians and Romans. This taught me how to start seeking info on my own and I began researching countries on my own time. In English, we focused on a Shakespeare play called “Much Ado About Nothing”. After reading this play, I wasn’t afraid of bigger and older books so I started reading Tom Sawyer and Sherlock Holmes. Even though the books are hard, I can do it because my teacher taught me to. This year, I enrolled in this class called Model UN. Its very interesting and we are learning about the amendments and what they do. Later in the year we are traveling to the city and meeting kids from all over the world to talk about problems in the different countries around the world.

If I win this contest, I would like to contribute it to the Model UN trip so everyone wouldn’t have to pay as much if we didn’t have the extra money. That is how my school has helped me mature and grow.

In past years I would always worry about what other people thought of me. In my elementary school, I would always try to make people laugh, I talked a lot in class, I didn’t do class work to the best of my ability and I didn’t care much for education. Going from elementary school to high school is what has transformed me into a more mature person.
The summer going into freshman year, I realized that almost all of my friends were going to different schools, fooling around wouldn’t be tolerated and if my grades were bad, I would have no one to blame but myself. At St. John the Baptist High School, I felt I should be more of an adult because I was being treated as one.
High School has given me the chance to appreciate education. What many people forget is education comes with a price. It is a waste of time and money to not be the best student I could be. This was a realization that I learned from my transition from elementary school to high school. All the subjects learned in school not only give you knowledge but the teachers, fellow classmates and the atmosphere of the classroom can help you learn life lessons that make you an adult. My tenth grade English class was the class I looked forward to the most. Not only did the teacher made learning enjoyable, but he did not tolerate bad excuses for not doing homework or handing in a late assignment. This was one of the lessons that has prepared me for adulthood and college -- no one is going to hunt you down for an assignment or a hassle you about a job you decided not to do.
Another lesson I have learned was outside the classroom from my cross country team. My coach has taught me that in high school, and more so in college, your parents are not going to be there to make sure you clean your room, finish your homework and do your laundry. He has also taught us that we make the choices that decide our future. We have the choice to shape our future by the decisions that we make every day.
My transition from elementary school to high school has helped me make better decisions and be more responsible. However, I am hopeful that college will prepare me even more as it teaches me life lessons that will make me the best adult I can be.

Leo Werner
SJB High School
Class 2014
702 4th Street
East Northport, NY 11731
631-757-1272

The Importance of Classical Education in the Twenty-First Century
(Part 1 of 2)
By: Diana Margo Lorraine Barbacena
Grade 6
Grace Christian Academy

“ERUDIENDA EST ANIMA SINE DOCTRINA ANIMUS ERUDIENDA EST”. Aristotle. English translation, “Educating the mind without educating the heart is no education at all”. Aristotle meant that if you do not make an effort in what you do, you are not educating yourself, but simply misusing time. Educating and teaching are two completely different and unique subjects. Let me explain, in my point of view, that teaching a student is not educating by “heart”. However, educating a student with all your “heart” is comparable to a blacksmith, shaping a piece of iron or metal to construct armor or a sword. The objective is that when you do something, do it with all your heart. On Thirty-Six Smith Street in Merrick, New York, there is a place that educates this way. It is a Classical Christian School named Grace Christian Academy and I am very proud and honored to say that I attend that school.

In the fall of 2011, I transferred to Grace Christian Academy from a different school which has a totally uncommon curriculum from GCA. I knew from the very beginning the challenges that were ahead of me. I was apprehensive at first, but I was placed in a humorous, energetic and intelligent class. Once I realized how to have courage- which for me is not the absence of fear, but instead knowing what to do even in the presence of fear- I began to have the confidence that I needed to get through the day. GCA’s curriculum itself is very competitive and my transition period at first was arduous. But eventually I realized that if I worked hard, I could be successful in anything. My father once told me that “Success sometimes doesn’t come from being a hundred percent better than your competition, but from being one percent better in a hundred different ways”.

Classical education also helps me appreciate the importance and value of music education. I have played the violin and the piano since I was five years old. The education that I am getting from GCA sustains my resolve to rehearse two hours each day. It gives me a new perspective on how I play because I can relate to all the classical composers differently compared to other children of my age. I am delighted to say that at my age, I am an accomplished classical violinist and pianist and I have performed in some of the famous concert halls in New York, namely Carnegie Hall and Lincoln Center. What is a Classical Christian Education? It is a form of education which emphasizes Biblical teachings and incorporates a model of teaching from the classical education movement known as the Trivium, consisting of three stages of learning: Grammar, Logic and Rhetoric. The curriculum in Grace Christian Academy is far more different, diverse, distinctive and thought-provoking than other private schools in the nation. In GCA, being a Christian school, we commit to memory Bible verses and we study the Bible in such a way that we can be aware of how it relates to our own education. The Bible is our one source of achieving wisdom, acquiring knowledge, obtaining courage and extending love towards one another. Mrs. Lindo, our sixth grade class teacher told us the meaning of the acronym B-I-B-L-E: it means Basic Instructions Before Leaving Earth.
The teachers encourage every student to seek and call on the name of the Lord. They educate us on all the Bible traits and characteristics that are required in today’s world.

We also study Latin. You might be astonished on how many English words (over 60%) originated from the Latin language. Believe it or not, Latin will come in very useful in the future. I believe that in most professions, although Latin can be seen, it is invisible to the average person. But take into consideration some of the professions in our society, may it be a doctor, lawyer, teacher or even a computer programmer. Even if they did not study the language, the foundations of their respective fields can be traced back to Latin. I can honestly say that Latin is one of the subjects that will make a difference in school and elsewhere. Most people think that Latin is “obsolete” as in a “dead” language, but on the contrary, Latin is very much alive in our present society. Just look at the Seal of the United States. On the bald eagle’s beak is a scroll that says “E PLURIBUS UNUM”; it means “Out of many, one”.

Kelsey Preston
Growing Within My School

I am very thankful to be attending a school that truly cares about the students. My school, Our Lady of Wisdom, combines religion and education to create a nurturing environment. Help is always provided here, because the teachers want to assist the students in their understanding of the topic. I am proud to say that I attend this Catholic school, where we can relate our schoolwork to God. This school has helped me grow, by being a second family to me. Someone is always there for me, here at Our Lady of Wisdom. The teachers are always looking for the potential in students, to make sure that my classmates and I succeed. One teacher in particular taught me to always do my best, and to help others in a time of need. She showed my class that it is possible to have fun and learn at the same time. She carefully planned lessons according to our learning ability. Her name is Ms. Danz.
I walked into school on the first day of seventh grade, not knowing what to expect. I had no knowledge of this new teacher, for she had never worked at my school before. With my heavy bag on my back, I strolled into the junior high hallway. I saw her blank face, and I wasn’t sure what to think. I muttered a soft, “good morning,” while the familiar faces of my friends appeared in the classroom. Later on, she told us her plan for the year. Her wisdom and positivity rubbed off on us, for this was my favorite year of school.
Ms. Danz did things that you would never expect a teacher to do. She was always laughing and smiling, excited to teach our class. One day, she informed us of our field trip to Adventure Land. While we were there, she went on rides with us, while still teaching us about the velocity and build of the rides. She always understood us as if we were a friend to her. Ms. Danz saw the potential that we had, that even we didn’t see. She patiently worked with us on things that we didn’t understand, and would frequently ask us if were okay with the information that we were receiving from her. When we left for our summer break in June, it was absolute that she would still be here in the fall, to teach us science. However, we received a letter in August that informed us of her moving upstate.
Ms. Danz’s time at my school has made me a better person overall. She helped me grow because she truly cared about the grades that I received and the effort that I put into my schoolwork. She not only taught us the lessons that are required, but she also planned the day around our way of learning. She encouraged us, so that we could realize how much we are capable of. Ms. Danz is a role model for me because she made us come to a whole new realization about science. I now have a whole new perspective on science. If we got a bad grade on a test, she made sure that we understood the subject and gave us chances to ask questions.
This year, it’s always bittersweet when we talk about Ms. Danz. Not only do the students miss her, but the teachers say that her moving was a big loss for the school. Everyone loved her, and the way she taught. When my classmates and I walk into the seventh grade classroom, we feel as though a piece is missing. Ms. Danz made our class complete. We miss her care for us, and her passion of teaching science. We hope to see her again at our graduation in June.
Although I have spoken very highly of Ms. Danz, she is only a mere example of the rest of the faculty and staff here at Our Lady of Wisdom. The staff set an example for the students, and the older kids happily help the younger ones. Ms. Danz has made an important impact on me, but there are many other teachers who I treasure. There are so many people in this school, teachers and students, who have led me down the right path. We are a family at this school, because families help each other grow. That’s what we do here. We are always motivated by each other to do great things. We believe in each other. We trust each other, and we are never let down. We progress together. My school is different from the others, because it brings out the best in me.
Kesley Preston
Gr 8
Our Lady of Wisdom Regional Catholic School

Aidan Tweedy
Grade 9
R.C. Murphy JHS

For most people, playing in orchestra at school is just playing the violin, viola, cello or bass for 45 minutes, and then going about the rest of their day. But for me, it was different. Mrs. Lisanti-Levy, my now retired orchestra teacher was a mentor, and more to me. She inspired me to listen to different types of music that I wouldn’t normally listen to in order to broaden my music taste. I also got several opportunities to express my musical ability in ways that a normal student usually wouldn’t be able to do because of her. Lastly, and probably the most important way which proves that Mrs. Lisanti-Levy was an amazing and inspiring teacher was that she encouraged me to continue pursuing music, never give up, and go as far as I can with it.
Mrs. Lisanti-Levy inspired me to broaden my musical horizons and to try and listen to different types of music. Before I met Mrs. Lisanti-Levy, I only listened to bands like Green Day, Blink-182, and other punk/pop-punk bands. Obviously, I did not have that much diversity. However, being in the orchestra with Mrs. Lisanti-Levy exposed me to different musical styles such as Jimi Hendrix and The Beatles. Once I realized that I liked other types of music, I started listening to new music on my own time, like The Smashing Pumpkins and The Red Hot Chili Peppers. Without her inspiring me, I might still only be listening to one genre of music, and never discover other, great bands and types of music.
With Mrs. Lisanti-Levy, I got several opportunities to express my musical ability, playing the guitar. I have been playing the guitar for the past three years, and it is my passion. I strive to become as good as I can at. One day in the 8th grade as we were putting away our instruments after an orchestra rehearsal, Mrs. Lisanti-Levy asked if anyone played the guitar, because we were playing Purple Haze by Jimi Hendrix for our winter concert. Once I said that I played the guitar, she asked if I wanted to play it along with the orchestra at the concert. I was very nervous about it, and I didn’t know the song at all, but she helped me learn the song and practice it with the orchestra. I also got to play Kashmir by Led Zeppelin on the guitar at our next orchestra concert. Both of these experiences gave me opportunities to express my musical ability in a way that most kids would not be able to experience.
Lastly, Mrs. Lisanti-Levy encouraged me to continue pursuing music, and to go as far as I can with it. Through many different experiences, she showed us, the orchestra, that music can be a lot of fun, and is more than just notes put together to form a melody. It is easy to tell that she loves what she does, and enjoys being around music all of the time. This attitude is what showed me that music is something you can pursue you entire life, just as she did herself, because it is always changing.
For me, orchestra was my favorite period of the day with Mrs. Lisanti-Levy. She always had a positive attitude and was available for help all of the time. She genuinely wanted to help people pursue their music dreams, and she definitely helped me on the path to pursue mine by inspiring me to listen to new music, giving me opportunities to express my musical ability, and encouraging me to pursue music all my life. Mrs. Lisanti-Levy truly is an inspirational person, and helped me grow to my fullest potential in the form of music.