At Trinity High School, you can feel the brotherhood
As I sit down to write this, I find myself wondering where the time has gone. Life seems to go by faster and faster, increasing with each passing day. People tell you to soak up this time and make the most of your childhood because before you know it, you will be an adult with adult responsibilities. For some, that time has already come. For others, it is right around the corner.
Reflecting on my time at Trinity is certainly a bittersweet task — not because of any bad experiences but because it is almost over. As seniors, we will be graduating on May 22. This is a date that seemed so far away and almost impossible to think about freshman year. Now the very same date is still impossible to think about, not because of how far away it is but because it is so near.
How do you comprehend saying goodbye to a place that has helped shape you as a man of faith and character? You don’t. You tell yourself you will visit and become part of what makes that institution so “greaT.” You hope that when you have sons of your own, you can give them the very same opportunity your parents and Trinity have given you.
My time at Trinity has most definitely been interesting. For us seniors, freshman year was the last normal year of schooling we had. Normal, a word that means average or to be expected — a word that we have been dying to hear and experience since the “extended spring break” of our sophomore year at Trinity.
As our final year comes to a close, it is a word we certainly do not expect to hear anytime soon. This has made getting involved difficult, but make no mistake, the class of 2022 has not backed down from the challenge. Instead, we have risen to the challenge and exceeded the expectations of everyone around us.
In the past four years, I have been involved in Tim’s Flying Club, the Film Club, the Photography Club, the National Honor Society and student government as a senior house captain of Patrick House, all while taking honors and advanced classes and maintaining a 4.0 grade point average. That is just me — one member of the class of 2022.
When you look at our class as a whole, you realize that we do not all look the same. We do not all share the same last name, let alone share the same goals in life. But just like this year’s motto states, “Never resT — Together we’re best.” You can feel the brotherhood in this place. That is not just something Trinity says to get kids to come to school here.
It is something you can see in the halls, classrooms, on and off the fields, courts and tracks. The experience that showed me what the Trinity brotherhood embodies was my senior retreat, ironically not on Trinity’s campus. It has given me a new perspective, a way of seeing not only my brothers at Trinity but also my brothers and sisters in Christ in this challenging and confusing world of ours.
Yes, there have been difficulties over these four years. Some include the loss of student life, the loss of parents, house fires, cancer and the loss of a teacher’s life. That is just to name a few. Someone once said to me, “The bad days are what make the good ones even better.” They could not be more correct. If we did not have bad days, we would not appreciate the good ones.
I know that in the days to come and the rest of our lives, the Trinity community will have challenges and difficulties. But it is my prayer that we help each other to get through them to celebrate the good times and triumphs of life.
Thank you, Trinity, for what you have done for my brothers and me.
“Trinity Forever — Brothers for Life.”
Trinity: Maximum effort of the soul
Maximo Animi Ardore. Maximum Effort of the Soul. The motto Trinity adopted is not only what we strive for, but what we achieve. Both teachers and students prove this every day. Whether it’s a state title, perfect score on the ACT or a normal day in the classroom, Trinity does everything with maximum effort of the soul.
Even through COVID-19, this year has been incredible. Students back in the classroom helped us all realize how fortunate we are to be able to see our friends and teachers every day. The interactions we’re now able to have make Trinity whole again. Yet, we are still coping with COVID-19 and new cases remind us of last year.
The seniors this year are the only class in the school that had a full year at Trinity. It’s wild to think that our first year here was our only “normal” one.
However, it’s not this unusual high school experience that we will remember the most; it’s the relationships we have formed.
In between classes, there is not a single step I take where I don’t see someone I know. That is what Trinity is all about. Teachers welcome their students with a fist bump and friends nod to each other in the hallways.
My grandfather came here and graduated in the class of 1959. My whole life, I’ve always wanted to go to Trinity. In eighth grade I shadowed and knew this was where I wanted to spend the next four years of my life. Soon, I’ll be surrounded by my brothers, waiting to receive a diploma, like my grandfather did all those years ago.
It’s not leaving this place that’s special; it’s those four years that will live forever in our hearts. Never have I been part of a community so loving and inclusive. There are so many things Trinity does that prove our brotherhood and compassion for each other — senior retreat, pep rallies, school Masses, donation collections and peer tutoring, just to name a few. As soon as you step into Trinity, all you have to do is look around and you’ll see what brotherhood is really about.
As a freshman, you never think four years could go by fast. Then, senior year comes around and your time is almost up. As seniors move on, there is no doubt in my mind that we will do great things. Whether it’s college, trade school or neither, the class of 2022 will excel wherever we go. The values Trinity has instilled in us and the lessons we have learned will help us succeed for years to come.
Never rest — together we’re best. What a beautiful message. Taking a quick look at this year’s theme, we may think it’s just catchy and doesn’t really mean anything; however, it’s so much more.
Never rest. This goes back to “maximum effort of the soul.” At Trinity, we strive to achieve great things. We don’t use half our effort and certainly don’t give up. In the face of adversity, we don’t rest. Even through a global pandemic, we never rested and faced every challenge head-on.
Together we’re best. Without each other, we would be nowhere. You can’t win Trinity’s first baseball state championship or get a five on an AP exam by yourself; you have to work together. Sure, it’s possible to do well on your own, but we truly are better together.
Looking back on this year and the past four, I realize that it’s more than I could ever ask for. The friends I have made and the things I have learned about myself are absolutely incredible.
As we all go our separate ways, I can only say one thing: Maximo Animi Ardore — Maximum Effort of the Soul.
Trinity High offers a once-in-a-lifetime experience
Trinity has been the best four years of my life. The sense of community and family is like no other school I have been to. The passion we show to meet our athletic and academic goals motivates everyone to do their best. It truly has been a once-in-a-lifetime experience.
The school year up to this point has been a breath of fresh air. Last year was extremely unique, especially for students like me who completed all their work from home. Stepping back into the school has been a great time. I enjoy having the ability to talk to my friends in person and participate in classroom activities that wouldn’t be possible if I was online.
My senior year has also been great because of my involvement. Leading both Dante House and the National Honor Society has been a fantastic experience. I am learning what it is like to be a leader and what qualities you need to be a good one. I have especially enjoyed the trips with Mr. (Chris) Luken to complete service opportunities around Louisville.
Being back in school has also given me the opportunity to spend more time with my classmates. Not only have I retained some of my closest relationships, but I also have formed new ones. I have at least three friends in every one of my classes. It is a great feeling when you walk into a classroom and a group of friends greets you. Some of my favorite conversations with friends come when we are walking the hallways to our next class.
One of the biggest highlights of my senior year has been senior retreat. For three years, all I had known about it was that it was the best experience that Trinity offers. After going on mine, I can confirm those statements. I got to grow closer to my brothers, teachers, God and myself. I learned so much about myself and it is something I will remember forever.
Trinity does a great job at providing opportunities for every student. More than likely, there is a club, sport or group that fits your interests. I have enjoyed participating in clubs and meeting people I would never know without those opportunities. Through Trinity, I was able to discover some of my greatest passions, broadcasting and editing. If it weren’t for Mr. (Tyler) Harris’ A631 Broadcast Journalism class, I would never have discovered what brings me enjoyment.
Being an upperclassman has also given me the opportunity to represent Trinity to prospective families. I have been able to share my love for Trinity with families who are considering joining the Trinity family. Knowing that I could potentially persuade an eighth- or seventh-grader to come to Trinity is a fantastic feeling.
Overall, my senior year at Trinity has been my favorite year. I still have a bundle of things to look forward to, like prom and graduation, but everything I have done so far has made me realize how special this place is.
Thank you, Trinity, for making my high school years some of the best in my young life!