Confessions of a Catholic School Girl

Gratitude Challenge - Week 25 - Education

I have never attended a public school.

Thanks to the contributions of my generous Catholic grandparents and the hard work of my own parents, I just began my final semester of my 13th year of Catholic education.

Honestly, I have loved every minute of it. From the uniforms to the prayers to the school church services, I know I could not be happier anywhere else.

When I tell people I am Catholic and I attend Catholic school, they seem to think I live in a bubble, free from the world's problems. I will be the first to say that Catholics are no better than anyone else on this planet. We all struggle, and we all sin; it is simply the reality of human nature.

But in no way has my Catholic education sheltered me from the world. Instead, it thrust me into the middle of it. In all of my classes, I am constantly asked what my contribution to this world will be. How will I attempt to fix the brokenness of humanity? It is a task far too big for a single girl, but I hope that my life can be a testimony to Christ. Doing good has a ripple effect. A single action is a pebble dropped into water, but the ripples reach much farther than the single pebble. I hope my contributions, though small, will make a difference.

For a long time, I was not aware of the power of my education. When I began to look at colleges, I wanted to go to a big, public school, the exact opposite of my current high school.

But, the more I looked, the more I realized I relish in small classes and personal relationships with my teachers. In the end, I applied to three colleges, two Catholic and one Christian. I did not choose these schools for their faith base. In fact, I did not even realize they were religiously affiliated until after I had fallen in love with their campuses and their programs.

The books I have been reading lately shed light on the power of education. When I see how many children, especially girls, around the world struggle to obtain a high school diploma, I am struck by the fact that I pretty much take this for granted. Yes, I stress about school and getting good grades, but I know the diploma is waiting for me as long as I work for it, For some people, this is not the case; there are so many obstacles between them and the diploma.

I am so grateful for my education. I cannot thank my parents and grandparents enough for this priceless gift. Let me never allow early mornings and late-night exhaustion to overshadow the powerful role school plays in my life.