By Reagan Handy and Kinsleigh Engler, Saints Peter and Paul High School
At Saints Peter and Paul, students thrive in a tight-knit, supportive community where friends and classmates feel more like family. It is through school events, such as our annual spirit week festivities, seasonal pep rallies and gathering at sporting events, that this small community can bond with the diverse group of people that make it up.
From gathering as a community every morning at morning announcements to holding end-of-week prayer, our Saints Peter and Paul community is constantly spending time bonding and doing special, unique things that cannot be found at just any high school.
According to Gabby Beckett, a ninth-grader at the school, “Saints Peter and Paul provides students with more experiences and more chances to make more memories.” Gabby is a member of the sailing team at Saints Peter and Paul. This is a particularly small sailing team consisting of only 12 members. Gabby says that “the team’s smaller size helps foster relationships and team bonding.” Not only are the students here so grateful to be able to develop closer relationships with their classmates through athletics, but also through the opportune class size.
In accordance with the smaller class size, Lana Beletsky, a rising senior, said, “The smaller the class is, the more people you get to talk to within that class, building closer bonds, whereas in public schools, you don’t know everyone. The small classes create a bond as we move up from middle school to high school and throughout each grade. Through tuition assistance, I am able to attend Saints Peter and Paul, and couldn’t be more grateful.” Students are given the chance to build relationships with each teacher, seeking individual help when needed.
Here at Saints Peter and Paul, students are enriched in a plethora of subjects and classes, given a strong foundation and great curriculum to build off of. The education at Saints Peter and Paul is unmatched on the Eastern Shore of Maryland, and according to Lana Beletsky, “ I was able to be in accelerated math classes especially.”
The doors that this school opens for students in a variety of ways are like no other and our entire student body is grateful for the unique experiences that are made possible through community and diocesan support. The diocese tuition assistance program allows talented students, committed to Catholic education and service to their community, to be able to attend our amazing school and make an impact on our local community.
Each student is encouraged and supported as they pave the way and set the course for whatever successful future they wish to pursue. As students build their academic knowledge and athletic abilities throughout their high school career, the tight-knit community at Saints Peter and Paul provides the foundation and the opportunities for growth in various departments. For example, Beletsky noted that Saints Peter and Paul is, “Open to adding new activities like the cheer and volleyball teams and the investment club. Anyone will be able to fit in here; there’s something for everyone.” This openness to growth and innovation helps nurture the talents and passions of every student at our school, ensuring each person feels a sense of belonging within our community.
This sense of belonging extends outside of the classroom to every aspect of community. From spirit week to student government-sanctioned events, Saints Peter and Paul has a vibrant student life enjoyed by nearly every one of its students. Many students, such as Beletsky, find student life experiences to be some of their favorites. She stated, “I like when we come together and play music and dance and have fun, everyone bonds together and has a great time.” Most recently, the End of School Cookout was a successful and enjoyable event filled with food, games and music. Our student body joined together to celebrate a year of hard work and academic and athletic success. Rising junior Aaron Jones described the event, saying that, “All of the games and everyone joking around at the cookout is a good memory for me. I am so grateful to be a Saints Peter and Paul Sabre.” At our small school, events like the cookout strengthen friendships and build a deep sense of community, something that might not be as easy at a school with a much greater number of students.
Saints Peter and Paul High School offers not only a quality education but a home where students are known, supported, and celebrated. Through our small class and grade size, close-knit relationships between teachers and students and lively student life, every individual is given the chance to develop as a student and most importantly, as a person. The memories made here, the bonds forged, and the opportunities provided create a unique and strong community environment that makes Saints Peter and Paul such a wonderful place to grow up in and receive an outstanding education that will set students up for future success.
To support Catholic education in the Diocese of Wilmington through the SHARE IN THE SPIRIT campaign, send your check to:
Share in the Spirit, Catholic Diocese of Wilmington, P.O. Box 2030, Wilmington, DE 19899-2030
For more information, visit cdow.org/ministries/development-office/share-in-the-spirit/
