Trinity fosters resilience and brotherhood

Henry A. Arnold

The first day of Trinity High School for the class of 2024 was not how any student would imagine the start of his high school experience.

On Aug. 24, 2020, instead of bustling hallways crowded with 1,200 young men, ties knotted, with fresh haircuts and arms full of books, the class of 2024’s high school experience began in the mechanical hum of laptop computer screens from quiet kitchen tables and bedrooms. 

Instead of standing in the doorways greeting new students and creating seating charts, Trinity teachers were navigating wi-fi buffering and ever-evolving schedules and lesson plans.

Much has been said and written about what was lost worldwide amid pandemic lockdowns and restrictions. Yet my Trinity High School experience reminds me to recognize what we gained.

Trinity’s motto, handed down from our founder, Monsignor Alfred Steinhauser, is Maximo Animi Ardore, which translates to “Maximum Effort of the Soul.”

The class of 2024, our parents, teachers and the Trinity administration could add our own motto: “Improvise, Accommoda et Vincere,” which translates to “Improvise, Adapt and Overcome,” the unofficial slogan of the United States Marines. 

My Trinity experience combined these two mottos, teaching the invaluable lesson of doing whatever it takes to meet challenges. 

Whether a student is performing in a theatrical production, competing in a sporting event or preparing for exams, the Trinity spirit provides a foundation of resilience and brotherhood. It emboldens us to have both personal confidence and the knowledge that we are in this together.

Our Trinity brotherhood is not by chance; it is by design. It is the reason families sacrifice to provide a Trinity education and why Trinity works to create a positive, accountable environment for students to learn and grow.

One of my favorite school activities is working with the robotics team. As a group, we begin with a robot design and mission, but as we build and craft the robot, the team must constantly adjust and fine-tune it to meet our objectives. Sometimes, the plan comes together; sometimes, it crashes and burns, but during the process, we collaborate and adapt.

I imagine that is what the Trinity administration, faculty and our parents felt as they managed the pandemic shutdowns. They were undoubtedly frustrated by the situation but were dedicated to positive student outcomes. 

With their help, our Trinity experience, which began on that August day in 2020 with a concerted effort to keep students safely apart, is ending with a brotherhood closer than ever.

Thanks to them and my Trinity brothers. “Improvise, Adapt and Overcome.”

Trinity teaches students to always do their best

Logan Tenkman

Choosing to attend Trinity was one of the best decisions I have ever made. Originally, I did not think I was going to go to Trinity. However, once I shadowed the school, I knew it was the right place for me because it felt like home. 

That is what Trinity has been for me these past four years: a home away from home. They are very welcoming, and the environment at school is overtly positive, inclusive and focused. Trinity has helped me to find myself, taught me life lessons and prepared me for my future in more ways than I can count. 

I cannot thank this school enough for all that it has done for me.

Trinity has taught me many life lessons, the most important one being to always give your best in everything you do. This is the meaning of Trinity’s motto, “Maximo Animi Adore,” which translates to “maximum effort of the soul.” 

Give your best effort in everything you do. Trinity pushes all its students to live this principle in and outside of the classroom every day. They push students to achieve the best grades they can, perform to the best of their ability in sports and contribute to their community in the best ways that they can.

And students succeed. The men at Trinity are some of the most intelligent and educated men in the state. They also win multiple state championships in sports every year. Not only that, but they also perform countless hours of service to the community every year. Trinity prepares all those who attend the school for the future.

Trinity has prepared me for my future in so many ways. They have taught me to work hard and do my best in everything I do. They have prepared me to handle the heavy workload that I will have in college. 

I have also learned to develop intricate and friendly relationships with my teachers, which will be an extremely valuable skill to have in college. Outside of education, Trinity has prepared me and all its other students to go through life being men of faith and character, and it has equipped us with life skills that will help us for the rest of our lives. 

The greatest gift that Trinity gives its students is the ability to know how to adequately help and respond to others, and have a positive impact on their community, which is one of the best traits a person could have.

Trinity provides environment of inclusion

Louis Ward 

Nestled in a restless vicinity of restaurants, small businesses and churches, aside the heavily commuted Shelbyville Road with Sherrin Avenue running through its campus is Trinity High School. 

Seeing the elaborate maze of brick buildings and the manicured greenery that follows the paths between them brings one back to that first day of orientation. A day where jubilant, well-mannered seniors surround the campus; each one holding out a welcoming hand to each corner. So starts the journey. 

Intimidating as high school may be, Trinity provided an environment of inclusion, only boosted by the famed house system and how it integrates first-year students into the student body seamlessly. 

Games, events, meetings and the utilization of advising periods are just a few of the aspects of Trinity that enable the success of its students, especially the underclassmen who are still adapting to their new home. 

Moving on through that high school career, an opportunity to compete alongside some of the best athletes in the state arises. Wearing that “Power T” in any sport is a privilege that represents nearly a century of athletic excellence while also presenting another stage of social integration that lasts through a student’s entire tenure at Trinity. 

Even if one does not wish to compete, the option to attend and watch sporting events opens the athletic experience to all students. “Electric” is a word that many would use to describe a Trinity football game in Marshall Stadium or a basketball game in Steinhauser Gym. 

By sophomore and junior year, there is a bit more relative comfort in being around the halls of the school; however, that does not mean classwork is easy. 

The balanced mixture of educational efficiency and challenge — alongside proper individual class placement for students — directly leads to Trinity’s well-regarded and highly successful academic focus. 

And if that “challenge” becomes too much of a burden, the flexibility of the administration coordinating with counselors and teachers provides students with a cushion of support that aims to see them succeed. Trinity is considered “college preparatory” for a reason, but challenge is different from genuine discomfort. 

Slowly climbing to that upperclassman status in the student body, friend-groups are solidified. Previous teachers will often converse with students in between class changes about how they have been doing, and eventually, it comes time for the four-day senior retreat. 

This keynote experience for seniors is the most evident truth regarding the mission of Trinity as a Catholic institution. The experience changes lives through a period of grace, in which seniors can fully embrace and piece together their experiences throughout their high school careers. 

And now that I slowly drift towards the edge of completion, towards that walk along the graduation stage, I can confidently say that Trinity has made its mark on my life, and I will soon join an everlasting brotherhood of tens of thousands of alumni who would certainly say the same.