"I Am St. Francis"
The Alumni Perspective: Seven Questions for College Seniors Heidi Prebys ’18 and Henry Breyne ‘18
1. Grade school? What college do you attend? Major/minor? Extracurricular activities at college?
Heidi: I attended Saints Peter and Paul School in Naperville and I am currently attending the University of Notre Dame majoring in Marketing. At Notre Dame, I am very involved in my dorm as a Resident Assistant and am part of numerous clubs including the Student International Business Council and the Women in Business club.
Henry: I attended St. Isidore Grade School in Bloomingdale from Preschool through 8th Grade. I'm currently a Senior studying Construction Engineering at Purdue University and will be graduating this May. I recently accepted a full-time job offer from Kiewit Corporation to work for them as a Field Engineer. At Purdue, I was an orientation leader for the Boiler Gold Rush program and was also the External Vice President for my STEM fraternity, Triangle.
2. How did St. Francis prepare you academically for your university studies?
Heidi: St. Francis best prepared me academically for college because it taught me how to effectively study. Through the wonderful professors in my AP classes, they showed me how college classes would be taught and how to study in order to retain the most information possible. I specifically remember AP English teaching me how to read, write, and think like a college student which has certainly helped me throughout my four years at Notre Dame.
Henry: With regards to academics, having the option to take a rigorous academic course load at St. Francis helped my transition to college immensely. Taking a collection of honors and AP classes culminating with four AP classes my senior year of high school helped me adjust to my college workload. Balancing my classes with my time in band, volleyball, and other extracurriculars allowed me to learn time management early and apply it to my life at Purdue, making it much easier for me to balance my engineering classes, being in a fraternity, and staying involved on campus.
3. How did SFHS faculty and staff help you as a student? What was the most useful class(es) you took?
Heidi: I believe that St. Francis faculty are among some of the most qualified teachers I’ve ever had. Each one has such a thorough knowledge of their subject area and knows how to teach it in a way that students will understand. They are so willing to help when you need it and really try to make the material as interesting as possible. One of the teachers that I think best exemplified this was Mrs. Abbott for AP Calculus BC. She was always willing to stay after class and re-explain something if I didn’t understand it the first time and she really cared about our success both in and out of class.
Henry: The St. Francis faculty helped develop me into a leader in my time there. In AP US History, Mr. Harper pushed for us to speak up in class and not be afraid to answer questions. His classroom felt like a second home and even if you were miles off with your answer, he would encourage you to try again and improve next time. Outside of the classroom, Mr. Lynch helped make me a leader on the volleyball court. I ended up as the only senior in my final season of volleyball, and Mr. Lynch pushed for me to set an example for the rest of the team and the younger players in the program.
4. What are the values you took from St. Francis and how do you see those playing out in your life?
Heidi: Some of the values that St. Francis taught me were hard work, commitment, integrity, humility, and living a faith-filled life. St. Francis always taught me to live a life centered around God and others and that has carried through with me every day in college by serving others as a Resident Assistant. It also taught me the importance of working hard and trying my personal best as I try to do in all aspects of my life today especially when it comes to academics.
Henry: The biggest value I took from my time at St. Francis is Growth. St. Francis creates an environment that allows for their students to grow and evolve into mature individuals. They provided me with many opportunities for leadership, service, and personal development. Without St. Francis, I would not have become the person that I am today as an adult.
5. Why are you proud to be an SFHS alum?
Heidi: I am proud to be a St. Francis alum because it has set a great foundation in my life and prepared me for the life I have today and will have in the future. My life would be entirely different if I did not attend St. Francis and I am so thankful for the opportunity to be an alum.
Henry: I am proud to be a St. Francis Alumnus because of the fantastic people I met at St. Francis. The staff, students, and teachers are the most incredible people I have ever met and helped create the amazing experience I had in my time there as a student. If I return to the DuPage county area later in life, I would want my kids to attend St. Francis and be part of the amazing community.
6. What advice do you have for middle school students AND parents?
Heidi: Try new things like different sports or clubs, and be open to all possibilities even if at first you may not like something. For parents, I would say trust your children and give them that opportunity to have some autonomy to explore new areas of interest.
Henry: To the students, I would say make the most of your time if you visit St. Francis. Everyone there can tell you so many great things about the school, but each individual person has their own perspective of what makes St. Francis great. Hearing all the different perspectives is what will show you why St. Francis is the right choice for you. For parents, I would ask that you give your children the chance to explore their options and allow them to visit St. Francis. I am so grateful that my parents had an open mind and allowed me to visit and experience St. Francis. Giving them some freedom will allow them to make the decision that is best for them.
7. What is one word you would use to describe your feeling toward St. Francis?
Heidi: One word I would use to describe my feelings toward St. Francis is warmth. I remember feeling incredibly loved and appreciated when I was there and even now still being able to connect with old faculty and staff, there is such a warmth about the school that I will always remember.
Henry: Togetherness. Something that's been obvious to me at college is how well the connections I made at St. Francis have lasted. So many people I have met at college talk to no one from their high school and were eager to move on once they arrived at college. I still talk to all my friends from St. Francis and have stayed close with many others. I know that my family from St. Francis will be with me for a lifetime.