Holy Cross
In all honesty, I did not know what to expect when I found out I would be attending Holy Cross. It was not my first choice. I knew next to nothing about it. I began to worry. I thought the small size meant it would be cliquey and hard to make connections. I thought there would be a lack of resources and opportunities compared to a larger school. However, I decided to have an open mind.
I would find that my negative expectations would be shot down and I would be shocked at the greatness at 5144 Dixie Highway.
The first thing that struck me about Holy Cross was the size, just under 250 students. This is smaller than a single grade level at a lot of schools.
As someone who came from a large public middle school of around 1,200, the difference is astounding. Within two weeks, I learned the name of everyone in my grade. Within a month, I could recognize the name of nearly everyone in the building.
While unusual to me at first, I later grew to appreciate this closeness. It would make the transition into high school much, much easier. It made me feel like I mattered as a student, that I was not just another face in the crowd or name on a list.
This is what makes Holy Cross much more than just a school: a family and a community. Teachers and administrators will stop you in the hall and ask about your weekend. When a sports team wins a state championship, the whole school celebrates. This is one of the things I came to treasure most about Holy Cross: The close, loving community. Your peers and teachers become more like family than just classmates and instructors.
Holy Cross, despite its small size, is rich with opportunities as well. There is an extensive amount of both sports and clubs. From bass fishing to basketball, from Y-Club to robotics, Holy Cross has something for everyone. These opportunities only grew greater during my time here.
My sophomore year, we introduced different programs for each grade level that allow for career preparation and development of STREAM (Science, Technology, Religion, Engineering, Art, and Mathematics) skills. Freshman and Sophomore year, students stay on campus for Freshman Academy and Sophomore STREAM.
These programs use a mixture of projects, lessons, guest speakers, and experiences out of school to foster these skills in students, as well as preparing them for the junior/senior internship program. This unique program allows students to go out of the building once a week in order to intern at a company that coincides with their career interests. Students can experience the professional world earlier than most teenagers, as well as make important connections.
This dedication to the success and development of students is one of the most shining aspects of Holy Cross. The staff and directors of such programs truly care about the individual success of each student. The opportunities Holy Cross offers are unique and would be hard to find anywhere else.
I am eternally grateful to have attended a school that gave me such opportunities, and I am sure it will allow for a great deal of success in the future.
I would give anything in the world to tell my 14-year-old self the good that she was in for by attending Holy Cross. The combination of both a close, family-like atmosphere and countless unique opportunities allow for a one-of-a-kind experience that any kid would be lucky to experience. Despite its size, location, and relative obscurity, Holy Cross has everything in the world to offer its students. With the family-like atmosphere combined with countless opportunities for growth, I am eternally grateful for the person that Holy Cross shaped me to be.