Guest post written by NCEA Seton Scholar, Katherine Barrett.
“What makes Catholic schools so incredibly special is the fact that they educate the whole person – mind, body, and spirit. Everyone who makes up a Catholic school is there for one reason – to help the students grow in their faith. All you have to do is observe a classroom in a Catholic school for one day and you will see this. From beginning and ending each day with prayer, administering the sacraments weekly, constant opportunities to reach out and serve others, to the silent witness of faith from the teachers; every where you turn you will see the face of Christ.
I am blessed to have attended a Catholic school since the first grade and with confidence I acknowledge that my Catholic education has made me who I am today. Success in this life can be measured in many different ways: wealth, popularity, happiness – the list goes on and on. However, I believe we are the most successful when using our gifts and talents to serve others. I learned this from my time in Catholic schools. It is through my Catholic education that I built a strong faith foundation that will remain with me for the rest of my life. Catholic schooling provides students with the most important thing in this life – a relationship with Christ. Thank God for Catholic Schools, for they are truly building up His kingdom each and every day.”
Katherine Barrett, a secondary education and biology major with a faith-based studies concentration, will graduate summa cum laude in May 2015 from Marian University. In addition to serving as a Marian University Student Ambassador and a senator for Kappa Delta Pi education fraternity, Katie is also a San Damiano Scholar. As such, she maintains a high level of academic achievement and takes additional faith-based courses while actively engaging in service activities with the Cathedral Soup Kitchen, the O’Connor House, and College Mentors for Kids. She also served in a 10-day summer service immersion at an orphanage in Guatemala. The oldest of five children, Katie sees her relationship with her family an extension of her relationship with God. She is excited to join the teachers who have guided her through school by becoming an educator herself. She is currently student teaching at St. Mark Catholic School in Indianapolis.
(Photo: Katherine and her parents with Indiana Governor Mike Pence and First Lady of Indiana, Karen Pence at the NCEA Seton Awards Gala in October 2014.)
