Every two years Kate and I choose 10 sophomore students from St. Agnes to travel to Marist College in Poughkeepsie, NY during Memorial Day weekend to participate in a gathering of all Marist schools throughout the country, Canada, and Mexico. The selection process is fairly intuitive, with characteristics such as maturity, compassion, and good humor at the top of the list. Many of the boys are genuinely surprised when we bring them together and invite them formally, having had no idea that they were thought so highly of (which is often precisely why they were chosen).The trip is an important one, not so much because of the content of the retreat itself, but because of the deep friendship and fraternity the experience instills in the boys. They go looking forward to dorm rooms, girls, and lots of free food but they inevitably find that they want to hang out with each other as much as possible (and sweetly with Kate and I). All weekend long, Kate and I get compliments from other teachers about the boys and other students are always drawn to them. They are just so genuinely themselves it is magnetic.
You see, there is just something about St. Agnes. Holy Spirit kind of special. Because these boys are smart, they understand that St. Agnes is a special place. That its smallness creates and intimacy that cannot exist elsewhere. That its poverty affords them a humility that wealth can obscure. That a lack of resources creates a sense of humor about your situation. That having to creatively work for what you want prevents boredom and cynicism. Of course they can't put it into these words. But when they sit in my classroom after school and try to dissect why it is they were so joyful all weekend and I use these words, they just smile and nod.
Here are some of the outtakes from the weekend. We laughed a whole, whole lot.
Reuben, George, and Luis are shy.
Possible album cover. No band, yet.
Maurice and Dimitri hanging around.
The boys make up a game of "Apple Ball". Stags win 2-zip. 
We celebrate our victory.
Jonathan, Dimitri, Sarfraz, and Rafael.
Last song before leaving.
5 comments:
Clare...these kids seem totally cool, and special. They're really lucky to have you. I think you're leading a really wonderful life with all that you do, and who you are. You'll make a great mommy some day!
The fun pours out from these pictures.
And your description of "who" these boy are is humbling, inspiring and delightful.
No doubt the Stags and you and Kate gain equally, although differently, from each other.
God love you, Clare.
Sounds like these kids have a good sense of what's important in life, which is so refreshing to see amongst all the trash in our world these days. It must be wonderful to have a teacher like you to help bring this out and to give them affirmation. It would be such a shame if they ever felt humility and kinship were things to stifle.
And the something about you, Clars, is part of the something about them.
everyone wrote real nice things.. i just wanted to say rafael is pretty cute
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