"I Am St. Francis"
The Senior Student Perspective: Six Questions for Claire R. ’22 and Will G. ‘22
1. What grade school did you attend? What activities have you been involved in at SFHS? What are your college plans?
Claire: I attended St. Petronille in Glen Ellyn. I have been involved in volleyball, soccer, student government, SADD club, NHS, National Spanish Honor Society, Women’s empowerment group, and many different intramurals. I am attending UCLA in the fall and am currently undecided in my major.
Will: I attended St. Michael’s grade school just down the road in Wheaton. I played basketball my first two years at St. Francis and have played baseball for all four years. I also participate in both National Honors Society and Spanish National Honors Society, along with Student Ambassador Leadership Team, or SALT, and am a leader of Blue Crew, our student section for all events related to St. Francis. I plan to attend the University of Michigan Ann Arbor for the next four years of my education as part of the LSA program. Go Blue!
2. Describe in one word your college planning/application experience.
Claire: Busy!
Will: One word to describe my college planning/application experience would be grateful. I am so grateful for the numerous amount of people who helped me along the way because I would be lost without them. The college process is definitely a struggle at times, but with the help of my parents and Mrs. Buckley, I was able to (barely) survive all my deadlines.
3. Describe your relationships with faculty/staff. How did they help you in your high school journey to be the best version of yourself?
Claire: The faculty and staff have always been extremely welcoming and willing to help. There are many teachers that I am easily able to go to for help and advice and it is clear that the faculty and staff want to help you succeed.
Will: I am incredibly lucky to have such great relationships with the faculty and staff here at St. Francis. I have so many great friendships with my teachers and coaches and I can’t thank them enough for all that they have done for me. They are always there to help me become the best version I could possibly be in high school because I was always encouraged to try new things and get outside my comfort zone. They always had my back and supported me and were great role models as I hope to one day inspire others the way the St. Francis faculty and staff has inspired me.
4. Describe how prepared you feel for the next level of education. What classes or resources have allowed you to feel confident to go to college?
Claire: I feel extremely prepared. Although the classes that I have taken at St. Francis have been very rigorous, I think they all taught me how to best manage my time. Along with that, I learned that through hard work I can get the results that I want. The lessons that I learned in these classes have definitely prepared me for college.
Will: I feel very prepared for college based on my education here at St. Francis. Many of my classes have allowed me to feel confident when I begin my next level of education, especially all of my AP classes. The one class that stands out above the rest is my AP Calculus BC class as my teachers taught at a college pace and it really forced me to manage my time wisely. I have also had the opportunity to talk to my college advisor Mrs. Buckley from the guidance office who has helped me greatly throughout the entire process.
5. What advice would you give to parents of middle school students that are considering SFHS for their child’s high school experience?
Claire: St. Francis is such an involved and welcoming community. Throughout my time at St. Francis, I loved to be involved. Whether it be through helping my school through the student government meetings or through supporting the boys’ basketball team at super sectionals, there were multitudes of ways that I could stay involved. Although my time at St. Francis went by extremely fast, I loved every second of it. It was definitely hard at times, but St. Francis helped me balance my education and social life perfectly, and I was able to enjoy every day while gaining an excellent education.
Will: The advice that I would give parents of middle school students considering St. Francis for high school would be to just attend any St. Francis event. That St. Francis event will be such a great example of how every day at St. Francis is and how the people interact with each other. The amazing network of both students and faculty is something I will forever cherish, and I have never once regretted attending St. Francis.
6. What is one word that encapsulates your experience at SFHS?
Claire: Engaged.
Will: One word that encapsulates my experience at SFHS is community. Everyone hears it all the time, but the community at St. Francis is what makes this school such a great experience for students. I feel that St. Francis is my second home and I have made so many amazing memories here due to the amazing community.