Being Xaverian - Our Lady of Good Counsel High School
Being Xaverian - Our Lady of Good Counsel High School
Being Xaverian - Our Lady of Good Counsel High School
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I’m<br />
averian<br />
I’M XAVERIAN | Michelle Odonkor ’14<br />
Excerpt om a speech at the St. Francis Xavier Society Dinner (p.29). Michelle is member <strong>of</strong> the KEY Club,<br />
the Speech team, the Debate team, the track team (hurdler), and is a <strong>Xaverian</strong> leader.<br />
“<strong>Good</strong> <strong>Counsel</strong> has opened doors for me that I can foresee as having been critical to<br />
the advancement <strong>of</strong> my goals. As a result <strong>of</strong> the values <strong>Good</strong> <strong>Counsel</strong> stresses and<br />
emphasizes, I am an improved person—compassionately extending my hands to those<br />
in need, humbly putting others before myself, simply empathizing with the plights <strong>of</strong><br />
others, trustingly reserving my judgment and permitting the benefit <strong>of</strong> the doubt, and<br />
zealously stepping out <strong>of</strong> my comfort zone to meet new people and make the world a<br />
better place for all mankind.<br />
These are all principles that <strong>Good</strong> <strong>Counsel</strong> has succeeded in instilling in me and that<br />
have now become my new personal standards.” ✦<br />
I’M XAVERIAN | Antonio Pino ’13<br />
Excerpt om a speech to the<br />
student body at the St. Francis<br />
Xavier Mass on December 3.<br />
Antonio is a <strong>Xaverian</strong> leader,<br />
a student ambassador and<br />
a member <strong>of</strong> the baseball team.<br />
“I understand the<br />
importance <strong>of</strong> [the <strong>Xaverian</strong><br />
value] compassion very well.<br />
When I was in 8th grade, I<br />
was stricken with a disease<br />
that became worse in high<br />
school. The compassion<br />
from my friends and family meant the world to me.<br />
I’m thankful for my friends who texted me constantly to<br />
see how I was doing and gave up a lot <strong>of</strong> time to visit<br />
me. I’m thankful that they prayed for me every night so<br />
that I would feel better. It would have been much harder<br />
to get through my illness without them.<br />
The word compassion is defined as ‘a feeling <strong>of</strong> deep<br />
sympathy and sorrow for another person who is<br />
stricken by misfortune, accompanied by a strong desire<br />
to alleviate the suffering.’ For me, that is only half <strong>of</strong><br />
what compassion is. I believe if you are a ompassionate<br />
person, you care about people all the time—every day.<br />
Compassion can be shown [to your fellow students] in<br />
the hallways just by asking them how they are doing,<br />
or just saying ‘hi.’ They will be touched that you went<br />
out <strong>of</strong> your way to care about them. And when those<br />
people are in a real time <strong>of</strong> need, that's when you<br />
sacrifice everything for them.” ✦<br />
I’M XAVERIAN | Tom Kolar, Social Studies Teacher<br />
since 1965<br />
“During the early years at <strong>Our</strong> <strong>Lady</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Good</strong> <strong>Counsel</strong>,<br />
the <strong>Xaverian</strong> Brothers were everywhere and did<br />
everything. They were great men who were dedicated<br />
to our school and incredibly generous with their time.<br />
Although there were few lay teachers at the time, the<br />
brothers were always very good to us and our families.<br />
The brothers lived very simple lives. They had very<br />
small living quarters (two to a room) on the second<br />
story <strong>of</strong> the Wheaton building. They had a television<br />
and delicious food, but aside from that, they lived very<br />
humble lives.<br />
The five <strong>Xaverian</strong> values, although they were not<br />
written on the walls in the Wheaton location, were<br />
taught to all the students and faculty during those early<br />
days through the actions <strong>of</strong> the brothers. Those values<br />
are all-encompassing and<br />
are the basis to leading a<br />
good life. The brothers<br />
personified that. Through<br />
their example, they<br />
inspired us to do more<br />
than we may have done<br />
otherwise.” ✦<br />
4<br />
on campus