Wednesday, February 15, 2017

Beyond McGivney

Father McGivney Catholic High School alumnus, Danielle Villhard, was recently selected as a University of Dayton Chaminade Scholar.  Only 15 first-year students were selected for the program which includes special seminar classes over the next three years developing students’ understanding of their call from God as it pertains to Christian leadership.  The program offers several retreats to build relationships among the scholars and culminates in a pilgrimage to Rome.
“Starting at the University of Dayton last fall, I knew I wanted to take the values I learned in high school into college. I learned the essence of servant leadership as a House Leader and the importance of service.”
Danielle Villhard was a graduate of McGivney’s inaugural class of 2016.  She served as the School Captain of our House Community System, was actively involved in the National Honors Society, used her skills in graphics to head the Yearbook Club, and was an athlete on the Varsity soccer team.  Danielle demonstrated her leadership in every aspect of the school and was named as a recipient of the prestigious McGivney Award.  But more than her accomplishments, Danielle acknowledged her faith as central to all that she did.
“McGivney truly prepared me not only to take on the challenges and opportunities that come with beginning college, but to do everything with faith in God.”
Father McGivney Catholic High School seeks to integrate Catholic identity in every aspect of the school.  But the endeavor of our faith formation program is not solely focused on simply maintaining an understanding of the faith until graduation.  It is our hope to launch students into a lifelong Catholic mission, beyond McGivney, to serve the greater world community by leading with Catholic Christian values.

As a Catholic educator, I hope to show my students that faith corresponds to a fundamental, original need that all men and women feel in their hearts.  I seek to inspire my students to recognize their destiny, and in their search, accompany them through the art of judging reality.  I surrender to witnessing the result of this hope, understanding that growth and development of my students will occur over a period of many years, beyond even my time at the school.  But there have been gifted moments of the present when I have encountered a young person who validates my reasons for pursuing a career in Catholic education.  In these moments, I am the one inspired.