“Not all of the important lessons that Jesuit has to teach are going to be within the classrooms… learning is really the whole package, and so days like community day help to shift kids perspectives,” stated Ms. Montez, director of DEI.
Freshman Community Days have been a tradition at Jesuit since the fall of 2021.
Occurring twice throughout the year, once in the fall and once in the spring, it is an opportunity for freshmen to connect with their peers and work to create a positive, strong community for their class.
This spring, the focus of Freshmen Community day was “loving and belonging.”
“Community day made me feel like I should be more kind to others and more mindful of the things I say,” freshman Aliyah Johnson stated.
Students heard a keynote from principal Mr. Maxie, participated in a dyslexia simulation with Mrs. O’Mahony, had an upstander training with Mrs. Strear and Mrs. Casey, and did team building exercises.
Ms. Montez stated that the goal of these activities is to, “give kids the tools to really be people with and for others”.
Specifically, the dyslexia simulation works to “build empathy for our students and community members who have dyslexia and learning differences,” Mrs. Montez said.
Students cherish and appreciate this day and the community they are able to build from it.
Junior Taylor Young still recalled her community day and the value that it held.
“I got to connect with a lot of people I didn’t usually talk to,” Young said.
