Decisions made now help shape life journey for every boy

John A. Jackson
Posted 11/14/13

Amid the turmoil surrounding the upcoming closure of multiple schools in our community, it is refreshing to learn of a school providing new opportunities for its students, particularly in areas of …

This item is available in full to subscribers.

Please log in to continue

E-mail
Password
Log in

Decisions made now help shape life journey for every boy

Posted

Amid the turmoil surrounding the upcoming closure of multiple schools in our community, it is refreshing to learn of a school providing new opportunities for its students, particularly in areas of spirituality, music, art and athletics.  Bishop Hendricken High School remains a shining example of both decades-long excellence and consistent growth. Families concerned about the future of public education locally should consider Hendricken as an option for their sons.

In recent years, Hendricken has invested more than $20 million into facilities and programs that help achieve the school’s mission: To bring every member of the Hendricken community closer to God – Father, Son and Holy Spirit – by developing the total human person – heart, mind, soul and body. The fruits of that pursuit are evident every day: There is something at Bishop Hendricken for every boy.

Hendricken’s rigorous academic program serves students at all levels of learning. Each fall, more than 125 of the nation’s most prestigious colleges and universities send representatives to campus to visit with Hendricken students. These colleges like Hendricken students, and they awarded last year’s graduates with more than $21 million in scholarships and grants. Indeed, 46 percent of the school’s graduates receive scholarships or grants equal to or exceeding the four-year cost of Hendricken’s tuition.

Hendricken’s all-male student body allows boys the freedom to be themselves with increased confidence and sensitivity. Research shows boys are more likely to explore opportunities in modern language, creative writing and the arts in a single-sex environment. An experienced faculty and staff, which is two-thirds male and includes 16 Hendricken alumni, provides the role models our youth need in their lives every day.

Hendricken’s Campus Ministry department offers students the opportunity to grow closer to Christ through student-led retreats, liturgies, and Christian service. Blessed Edmund Rice Chapel, the school’s heart, is frequented by students and staff as a place for quiet prayer or reflection.

More than 225 students participate in Hendricken’s morning Arts Academy, which provides a four-year, honors-level, arts-related curriculum. The Academy includes programs in choral music, drama, instrumental music, media arts, technical theater and visual arts. After-school programs open to all Hendricken students are available in each of those areas.

From winning 65 varsity state titles over the past 10 years (including two in one afternoon on Nov. 3), to intramural offerings in archery, billiards, bowling, fencing and fishing, no school in Rhode Island, and few in New England, can match Hendricken’s athletics opportunities or success. Nearly two-thirds of all Hendricken students participate in at least one interscholastic sport.

Hendricken’s extracurricular activities extend beyond athletics and arts. Hendricken boys build robots, learn about foreign cultures and broadcast radio shows. Finding a Hendricken student involved in no after-school activities is nearly impossible.

In these times, financing a Catholic high school education can be burdensome. Bishop Hendricken this year awarded more than $1.6 million in financial aid, which was distributed among more than half the families in the Hendricken community. Often, families who do not believe they have the financial means to send their sons to Hendricken receive the necessary dollars to overcome that obstacle.

Every parent wants his or her child to experience opportunities to grow. A Hendricken student who studies with diligence, prays with commitment, and dives into the school’s extracurricular offerings will emerge after four years as a Hendricken Man. He will have grown academically, socially, culturally, physically and most importantly, spiritually. He will have made his family and community proud. He will be ready to live the next chapters of his life as a leader, a servant and a man devoted to family and faith. What more could a parent ask for his son?

With its Catholic values fostering a tradition of excellence, Bishop Hendricken is the region’s best option for a college preparatory education. Decisions made now help dictate the life journey for every boy. The Hendricken experience provides a clear path for success and the promise of many more blessings down the road.

Please attend Bishop Hendricken’s next Open House, Sunday, Nov. 17 at noon, or visit hendricken.com to learn more about this thriving school community.

John A. Jackson is the President of Bishop Hendricken High School, and a graduate from the Class of 1971.

Comments

No comments on this item Please log in to comment by clicking here