(This Morning Prayer was offered on the Public Address system for the La Salle Academy educational community on Wednesday, 14 May 2014)

 Let us remember that we are in the holy presence of God

I never imagined that I’d be starting college 4,000 miles away in another country. But four years ago, I never would’ve imagined myself at La Salle.

I live in a small town an hour away from Providence. I wanted to go to high school there, with all the kids that I grew up with. However, my parents thought differently and wanted me to go to private high school, so I ended up at La Salle.

Before I came to La Salle, I didn’t even know that Rhode Islanders had awful accents. On my first day I didn’t know a soul, and I like to joke that it took me three months to talk to anyone. It’s only half a joke, because I am bad with meeting new people; but, Ben Smith also forced a conversation out of me on the first day. I thought the standard hair compliment would be the end of our interactions, but he became my first friend at La Salle, and four years later I still haven’t found a way to get rid of him.

Although the beginning was rough, I wouldn’t trade my four years at La Salle for anything. I made some great friends and had teachers who inspired me and became my role models. Most importantly, I learned what I’m capable of. I developed leadership and communication skills as I transitioned from a shy freshman to a captain on the basketball team.

My AP classes forced me to push through my chronic procrastination. My senior trip to Rome and Paris helped me get over my fear of starting a conversation, and gave me the confidence I need for next year.

If I hadn’t come to La Salle, I would be way too scared to go to Italy for my freshmen year of college, and I’d be missing out on the experience of a lifetime. La Salle is a place where people can constantly challenge themselves and find their strengths. I’ll carry my experiences at La Salle with me for the rest of my life, and I hope the underclassmen continue to take advantage of these opportunities.

Let us pray

Dear God,

Thank you for giving us opportunities to push ourselves out of our comfort zones and grow as people. Thank you for the people I’ve met at La Salle, and please continue to grant us the courage to fully experience the beautiful world You have created.

St. John Baptist de La Salle…pray for us.

Live Jesus in our hearts…forever.

Carmen Russo (Class of 2014)

(Morning Prayer offered on the Public Address system for the La Salle Academy educational community on Tuesday, 13 May 2014)

Let us remember that we are in the holy presence of God.

La Salle Academy strives to fulfil St. John Baptist de La Salle’s ideals of faith, service, and community. Throughout the year during Morning Prayer we hear a lot about faith from many teachers as well as service like we have just recently heard from those who went on mission trips this year. Community is a topic we hear less about, but I find it to be something that made a very large impression on me throughout my four years at La Salle.

 

I am sure that, upon entering La Salle, you were told, “Become a part of the Lasallian community. Get involved with your school.” This was something that my parents repeated to me many times. I always thought that this meant I had to be involved in multiple athletic teams or clubs. It was not until this year that I felt that I was able to really see what everyone talks about as “the Lasallian Community.”

Some of you may have tried to join multiple activities starting freshman year, and it may have worked out for you very well. I did not do that. I participated in a sport each season my freshman year, and loved the sense of community I experienced on each of my teams. Being a part of a team at La Salle gives you a unique sense of belonging. There is a group of people that you know will always have your back and a group of friends right away.

It was not until my sophomore year that I began participating in a club in addition to being involved in athletics. I joined SADD and had the same sense of belonging that you can find in any club or group here. Being surrounded by people who believe in the same things you do is an amazing thing. I strongly encourage you, if you have not already done so, to join a club. It may require going out of your comfort zone at first, but it is something that you will not regret.

Junior year is when I embraced Campus Ministry, another thing I encourage all of you to do. I became a retreat leader for freshman/sophomore retreats and went on one of the Kairos retreats. Again: another place where I felt community. The campus ministers are a huge part of that. They are welcoming to everyone and encourage people to become involved in different retreats and events throughout the year. They’re also there as someone who you can talk to and always seem to genuinely care about how you are doing or how your day is going.

This year, I feel that I have been able to look back on events and see that even if I hadn’t participated in extracurricular activities, I would still be a part of the Lasallian Community. This year I had the opportunity to shadow Trainer Rob Riebe at many of the football games. Although there was the obvious bond among the players, it was the group in the stands that truly amazed me. Whenever I would turn around on the sidelines, I would see the Beehive. It amazed me how so many people could be so organized at a sporting event. Whether it was cheering on one of our peers after beautifully and  bravely singing the national anthem, running in the stands with a flag, doing the roller coaster thing that seemed to happen at every game, or watching Father Najim do pushups on the sidelines, it was clear that this was the physical community that I had felt at La Salle over my four years here.

Finally, I would like to talk about the community that all of us can feel, and that is the community in our own class. While looking forward to graduation, I have realized that many people that I see every day, I may not have the chance of seeing again. We are all going our separate ways after graduation, but I hope that we do not forget the community that we have worked so hard to build in the past four years.

Let us pray:

Come, Holy Spirit. Allow us to appreciate our friends. Give us a moment to see their goodness. Help us to be always faithful to them. Always give us the opportunity to stay close to our friends, whether we are physically near or far apart.

Come, Holy Spirit.  Continue to inspire our teachers, counselors, deans, administration, and coaches who have inspired us. In these last days of high school for seniors, give us the courage to truly follow their lessons. Allow us the inspiration to thank them for their gifts with sincere appreciation. Amen.

 

St. John Baptist de La Salle…pray for us

Live Jesus in our hearts…forever.

Katelyn Primmer (Class of 2014)