Lourdes is a compilation of great learning and even better friendships. Throughout my years here, I have often been questioned by outsiders about how I could enjoy Lourdes. You wear uniforms; isn’t it too strict? While we do wear uniforms, it is definitely not too strict; it is structured. We have the opportunity to learn in a controlled environment. Throughout this year, I have learned so many things and life lessons. The emphasis on creating respectful Lourdeans has allowed my classes to stray from the curriculum to more real-life events. The classes are what they should be about, the class material as well as how they relate to current events in the world and in the classroom. This environment has also given me the opportunity to make life-long friendships. I bond with my classmates, and the teachers encourage us to work with each other to strengthen that bond. Additionally, outside the classroom, the sports teams at Lourdes have introduced me to many new people. Being both a part of teams and watching the team compete has helped me get to know the people here better. In the end, I owe Lourdes for my college acceptance, my real-world experience, my college-ready education, and my best friends.

I am glad I attended Lourdes because of the academic rigor I have been introduced to. Lourdes is a competitive school in which I have had to maintain a strict schedule in order to maintain my grades as well as continue my school sports. It taught me the discipline I needed that will be essential for college and later the workforce because I have learned to balance my time: to know when to say yes to social gatherings, when I need a mental break and alone time, and when I need time to study or do work. Beyond this, Lourdes was a great place to foster my spiritual journey. Coming into Lourdes as a freshman, I thought I knew what to expect. I had been to other Catholic schools before, and I realized that religion class would be the same information as I always knew from Mass and school. But it wasn’t. They taught some of the same information, but so much more in-depth than I could ever imagine. Things really pushed off junior year when we got into morality. I did not know half of the Catholic teaching that I thought I knew, and I had honestly been sinning constantly without even realizing it. With changes to my life, I was able to get closer to God and more closely know Him. Additionally, that class gave me the opportunity to educate my family on Catholic moral teaching, and we continue to have moral debates using the theories I learned like the Double Effect Principle. While class teaching truly fostered my spiritual growth, so did the environment at Lourdes. Everyone is so loving and encouraging, and it is nearly impossible not to see God everywhere you look, whether it is the statues of saints or the experiences within the student body and faculty. Furthermore, I was able to take part in religious and political clubs that may not exist in a public school, such as the pro-life club. While the structure in Lourdes has led me to a better, more controlled life, it is the religious fervor that has truly impacted my life beneficially.

My favorite Lourdes memories were any school trip we took, whether it was to see To Kill a Mockingbird, Hamilton, go to Music in the Parks, Disney, a retreat, bowling, or any of the other trips we took. On these trips, I was able to socialize with people I had never talked to before just because they were waiting in line with me or in the same group as me. I always looked forward to them as an opportunity to get closer to the people I did not have classes with. Even thinking about them now, I am filled with happiness that I was able to partake in the events and am truly grateful that Lourdes presented us with so many opportunities to bond with our classmates.

To potential Lourdeans, I would say you will not regret your decision to go to Lourdes. The common setbacks that people consider when thinking about Lourdes are the size and the type of people. I know this is what I considered when I was picking a high school and now picking a college. However, the size really is not an issue at Lourdes. You will still get to know many people and make connections that will last the rest of your life. In some ways, the small size at Lourdes helps make more potential job connections. At Lourdes, everyone knows everyone unlike at a public school where it is possible to just blend in with the crowd. Lourdes is one big family that takes care of each other. Likewise, the type of people is not a real issue. The people at Lourdes are much more diverse than they may appear. We have all political parties and all religions, though we are primarily a Catholic school. It is not an issue to find someone you relate to, as well as a group of people with similar goals to you. Lourdes is a great school full of great people. We have the resources of a big school, recently getting a PCR testing set for our biology labs. We have many school trips that further our knowledge and ability to learn in school, as well as trips that commemorate the hard work that the students have put in. We have academic rigor and class diversity with many college and AP classes to take starting junior year. At Lourdes, you will get a Catholic education with people you will learn to love and teachers you will respect.

Marywood University, Castleton, Roberts Wesleyan, Binghamton University, Seton Hall, Catholic University, Fordham, Suny New Paltz, Villanova, Rensselaer Polytech Institute, Syracuse University, Boston University

Industrial Engineering

College Spanish, College Pre-calc, AP United States History, AP English Language and Composition, College Calculus, College Psych, College Introduction to Marketing, College Government, College Biology, College English 101 & 102

Total College Credits = 45

Varsity Swimming, Varsity Cheer, Varsity Soccer, Varsity Lacrosse, Hudson Valley Dolphins Swim, Beekman Soccer