The election results are in! The Georgetown Prep student government and class officers have been named for the 2018-2019 school year. Congratulations to our newly-elected student leaders!

President/Vice President of the Yard: Clay Lanham '19 and Michael Butler '19

Treasurer: Ryan Gottshall '19

Secretary: Reagan Yeatman '19

Class Officers:
Class of 2021: Trey Cox and Aidan Nickerson
Class of 2020: Peter Connolly and Colton Ward
Class of 2019: Brian Falatko and Grant Mayard

Georgetown Prep celebrated its 219^th Commencement Exercises on Saturday, May 26. Baccalaureate Mass was held in the morning in the Hanley Center for Athletic Excellence. Rev. Scott R. Pilarz, S.J., president of Georgetown Prep, was the celebrant.

In the afternoon, family members, friends, and members of the Prep community gathered in the Yard outside of the George Center for Academic Excellence to celebrate the achievements of the graduating class. Prep's Headmaster, Mr. John Glennon Jr., served as the Master of Ceremonies at the Commencement Exercises.

John Davin received the Hillenbrand Medal, which is awarded to the President-of-the-Yard. Fr. Pilarz also presented Hakeem Smith with the Jeffrey L. Jones award in honor of Prep's former Headmaster, Jeff Jones.

William Boggs, who will attend Harvard University, was awarded the Hamilton Medal, Georgetown Prep's oldest graduation award. View a full recap of the Commencement Awards and award descriptions here.

Sebastian Montoya, who will attend Purdue University, delivered the Commencement address.

Speaking to his classmates, Sebastian shared what Georgetown Prep has meant to him. The following is an excerpt:

If we are to set the world on fire, we must be motivated by a higher purpose. One of the most important moments for all Prep students is Kairos. We had the opportunity to grow closer to God, and equally important, to grow closer as a class. Without divulging too much, I will say that during this time, the most valuable lesson I learned was the importance of being motivated by a higher calling, something greater than myself. It is what drives us to pursue the Jesuit principle of magis. If we follow the magis, we commit to asking ourselves what more can we do for the greater glory of God. I see examples of this higher calling in my fellow students all the time. For example, Marco Davis hopes to make it his life's mission to help rebuild Puerto Rico, his home island, after it was devastated by Hurricane Maria. Or the leaders of the Black Students Association, who called our community to the table of healthy dialogue at a town hall meeting this fall. Or John Besche, who organized a moving prayer service for the victims of the Parkland shooting. Or Michael Rifka, who was inspired by his brother's condition to lead one of the most successful Best Buddies Clubs in the DMV. If we are to set the world on fire, we must be motivated by a higher purpose, otherwise our efforts will feel empty.

Each of these acts, big or small, are what make us light for others. This is fire we will share with the world by becoming responsible leaders and loving family members, by reaching for our dreams of becoming doctors, scientists, lawyers, writers, actors, businessmen or anything we want to be.

In conclusion, I believe that the bonds of community are what can save the world from its current situation. If we look out beyond these grounds, we realize that not every place is as wonderful as this one, that we are fortunate to have these opportunities. Out there, in D.C. and Baltimore, there are thousands of people struggling to find a home. Across the U.S. and Europe, millions of people are facing the disintegration of their communities through deportation. In Venezuela and Syria, thousands of people have become refugees due to a failing government and war. All over the world, our brothers and sisters are struggling just to survive. Therefore, we are called to do what you did for me when I first arrived. We are called to open our hearts and our minds to people who are alone. We are called to welcome the stranger.

So to me, setting the world on fire is helping others rebuild their communities, build bridges of understanding. Fire means light, it means warmth, it means brightening the lives of others; it is the spark that comes when you strike two rocks together. It can cut through the dark in cold times. And my friends, the world is a hard place. It will at times be unfriendly, unfair, and even cruel. But the stories I just shared with you tell us that we can be the light of hope. Because, yes, we ARE fire. You sparked hope by inviting a new kid to lunch on that first day; you were warmth when you welcomed the transfer to the homecoming dance; you were comfort after a crushing defeat; you motivated each other to never give up. And now we can join so many others around the world to "renew the face of the earth." Because we build community. We are community. Class of 2018, let's set the world on fire! Hoya Saya. Thank you.

Congratulations to the Class of 2018!

Dear Members of the Georgetown Prep Community,

As I write this letter on the last day of the 2017-18 academic year, I find myself reflecting about my last four years as president of Georgetown Prep. I have said many times that leading our nation's oldest Catholic and Jesuit school has been one of the great graces in my Jesuit life. Georgetown Prep is a unique and remarkable institution.

If you think about Prep, certain words come to mind and they are different for each of us. Words like "brotherhood," "home," "tradition," "legacy," and "global." Prep is special for so many reasons. As I write one of my last letters to the Prep community, a different word stands out to me: family.

Over these last four years, you have welcomed me into your family and entrusted me to lead America's oldest Ignatian apostolate. While I am not packing up my desk quite yet, I do want to take this moment and say thank you.

Thank you to our passionate and dedicated alumni who bleed blue and gray. It has been a joy and inspiration meeting with you all over the country and the world. I have rarely seen a more connected and passionate alumni base in my 35 years in Jesuit education. Thank you to our faculty and staff for your commitment to our sacred mission. It would be hard to find a more committed group of educators anywhere in the world. Thank you to our parents for your faith in us. You have raised remarkable young men of faith and men for others. And, finally, thank you to our students. You have made this job fun. Your care for Prep and for one another is something that I have seldom witnessed in all my years in education. I have had the great privilege of witnessing your enthusiasm day in and day out. There is no doubt that you will set the world on fire.

Today, as we conclude another school year, I say thank you for allowing me into your family and ask you to pray for Georgetown Prep, especially our recent graduates.

God Bless and Hoya Saxa,

Sebastian Montoya '18 was featured in The Catholic Standard's graduation issue last week. Sebastian, who will attend Purdue University this fall, was this year's speaker at Georgetown Prep's 219th Commencement exercises on May 26.

In the article, Sebastian reflects on transferring to Georgetown Prep from his native country of Colombia before his junior year and the impact that Prep's jesuit education and his mother had on his calling to serve others.

Read the full article here.

Congratulations to the 88 students who received First Honors and 87 students named to the Dean's List for the 3rd marking period of the 2017-18 school year.

View the list of academic honors.

Congratulations to the members of Georgetown Prep's varsity lacrosse, baseball, golf, and tennis teams who earned All-Met honors from The Washington Post for their outstanding play this spring.

Bob Barry was named Golf Coach of the Year.

Eight Prep athletes received All-Met honors:

Lacrosse:

• Jack Giulieri '19, honorable mention
• Clay Lanham '19, honorable mention

Baseball:

• John Dempsey '18, second team

Golf:

• Gary Bullard '19, first team
• Nick Foster '18, honorable mention
• Keegan Shreves '19, honorable mention
• Bob Barry, Coach of the Year

Tennis:

• Daniel Dunac '21, honorable mention

Track:

• Odera Nweke '19, honorable mention

Below is a message from Rev. James R. Van Dyke, S.J., to the Georgetown Prep community on his first day as the school's president, Sunday, July 1, 2018.

Dear Members of the Georgetown Prep Community:

I write you this morning on my first official day as president of Georgetown Preparatory School. It is an incredible privilege to lead our nation's oldest Catholic school and only Jesuit boarding school.

When the Board of Trustees elected me as the school's next president, I knew then, as I surely know now, that I am walking into a remarkable legacy. Entering its 230th year, Georgetown Prep has educated young men for generations, quite literally from all over the world. I am humbled to start my role as Director of the Work and to collaborate with Prep's outstanding faculty and staff in our sacred mission of forming men of competence, conscience, commitment and compassion; men of faith, men for others.

This year, my top objective will be to learn about Prep from you. I have spent my entire career in Jesuit secondary education and have learned that, while Jesuit schools have a shared mission, each school has a personality of its own, and Prep's personality is truly unique.

Over the past year, through meetings with Board of Trustees and the opportunity to meet with some of you, one point has come through loud and clear: you love and care about Prep. In all my years in Jesuit education, I have seldom seen a more enthusiastic school community.

I am energized and ready to begin our shared work to ensure Prep's continued success as an outstanding Catholic and Jesuit institution and to safeguard an accessible, global Georgetown Prep for future generations.

I have been blessed to have been preceded by one of my closest friends of 35 years, Rev. Scott R. Pilarz, S.J. Fr. Pilarz has been an exemplary and successful leader during his tenure as Prep's president. He and I were in constant contact over the course of this past year and I will be forever grateful for his leadership and guidance as I transitioned into this role. Prep is in an excellent position today because of his leadership.

I ask that you pray for Fr. Pilarz as he begins his next journey as president of the University of Scranton, and for Georgetown Prep, especially for all the students as they continue to grow into men of faith and men for others.

With great gratitude for your love and support of Prep, my prayers and best wishes for you and your families, especially for a wonderful and relaxing summer.

Sincerely in Christ,

Rev. James R. Van Dyke, S.J.
President

The Honorable Brett Kavanaugh '83 was nominated on July 9 to serve on the Supreme Court of the United States.

Since 2006, Judge Kavanaugh has served on the United States Court of Appeals for the Washington, D.C., Circuit.

A native Washingtonian, Judge Kavanaugh was a member of Georgetown Prep's varsity basketball and football teams and served on the staff of the Little Hoya, the school's newspaper. After graduating from Prep in 1983, he matriculated at Yale University (1987) and earned his J.D. from Yale Law School in 1990. He served as the Notes Editor for the Yale Law Review while in law school.

After law school, Judge Kavanaugh clerked for Judge Walter Stapleton of the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit and Judge Alex Kozinski of the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. In 1993, he earned a clerkship with Associate Justice Anthony Kennedy of the United States Supreme Court. Justice Kennedy announced his retirement from the Court in late June.

In 1994, Judge Kavanaugh served as an Associate Counsel in the office of the Independent Counsel Kenneth Starr during the President William Clinton investigation. He was later named as a partner of the law firm Kirkland and Ellis in Washington, D.C. In 2003, Judge Kavanaugh was named Assistant to the President and Staff Secretary to President George W. Bush.

Judge Kavanaugh is the second Georgetown Prep alumnus to be nominated to serve on the United States Supreme Court; on January 31, 2017, Associate Justice Neil Gorsuch '85 was nominated by President Trump and confirmed in April 2017 as an Associate Justice.

Rev. James R. Van Dyke, S.J., president of Georgetown Prep, noted on Judge Kavanaugh's nomination, "I would like to congratulate Judge Kavanaugh on his nomination to serve on the nation's highest court. I had the opportunity to meet Judge Kavanaugh at Georgetown Prep's alumni business network event in May 2018; he is a proud Prep alumnus and holds the school in the highest regard. Judge Kavanaugh has Georgetown Prep's prayers and support as he faces the confirmation process."

All Supreme Court nominations must be confirmed by the United States Senate.

Congratulations to Conor Luck '19, the recipient of the William & Mary Leadership Award.

Selected for his inspirational leadership, outstanding scholarship, and unwavering loyalty to the school and community, Conor was chosen as a student who best exemplifies the spirit of Georgetown Prep. He received a certificate and a copy of "A Passion for Leadership" by Robert Gates, former Secretary of Defense under Presidents George W. Bush and Barack Obama and a recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

Congratulations, Conor!

The following message was sent to the Georgetown Prep community from Rev. James R. Van Dyke, S.J., on the Feast of St. Ignatius Loyola, the Founder of the Society of Jesus.

Dear Members of the Georgetown Prep Community:

We celebrate today the Feast of St. Ignatius Loyola, the founder of the Society of Jesus. While this feast is obviously significant to Jesuits the world over, it is also special to all of us here at Georgetown Prep. Ignatius' call, which he experienced in his conversion in the 1520s and wrote about in the Spiritual Exercises, was "to know God more clearly, that I might love Him more and follow Him more closely." When he began his journey from being a soldier of the emperor to becoming a soldier for Christ, he had no idea that one day a vast, world-wide network of schools would take inspiration from his life and spirituality. Today, these include 380 secondary schools (some 60 of which are in the United States), 190 colleges and universities (28 of which are in the U.S.), 14 Nativity Schools, and over 1,000 Fe y Alegria schools, all of which are committed to serving the needs of God's people for the "greater glory of His name."

In this vast network, Prep holds a unique place, not only as the first Jesuit school in the U.S. and as the nation's only Jesuit boarding school. For it was established along side our nation, and is at the very foundation of Catholic and Christian culture here. Our founder, Archbishop John Carroll, wrote of this singular place, "On this Academy is built all my hope for the permanent success of our holy religion in the United States." As a community where values and good faith continue to hold a place of high honor in a world that often forgets them, Prep students and alumni shine not only in their intellectual and athletic accomplishments, in college placements and success beyond, but even more importantly in a resolute commitment to reflection and service as "men for others" ad maiorem Dei gloriam.

Furthermore, Prep is unique among Jesuit secondary schools as a truly and committedly international apostolate of the Society of Jesus, with alumni and current students representing all the six habitable continents. Here it is our intent to welcome the world in our residential students and their families, and to receive the gifts they bring by way of culture and outlook, knowing that we all benefit from a diversity which is not for the sake of cultural fashion but because we have, with Ignatius, a deep understanding that in God's love for each person and for all humanity we find our truest selves. We come to know God's will for us not in isolation or in our little circle, but as Ignatius did, seeing the vast expanse of creation and the human race and noting how God labors in each creature and in each person and in each moment, drawing us always closer to His love for us.

So we, too, with Ignatius are called as individuals and as a community "to know God more clearly, that we might love Him more and follow Him more closely." This is the gift of Ignatius to us, and of God to us through Ignatius. It is a wonderful thing to know that God loves us so much that He calls us and gives us through the calling a purpose in our world. It is a gift for which we can be grateful.

As I complete my first month as president of this wonderful school, please know that I am particularly grateful for the gift that so many of our community have already been for me. I know that I am joined by Fr. Sauter and all the Jesuits in thanking you all—students and alumni, faculty and staff, families and friends—for the many ways you bring St. Ignatius' vision and Archbishop Carroll's dream to fulfillment, both here at Prep and in the wider world.

With great gratitude and many prayers,

Rev. James R. Van Dyke, S.J.
President

Dear Members of the Georgetown Prep Community,

This morning we rejoice at the start of a new academic year, the 230^th since Archbishop John Carroll opened the doors of his Academy. Watching our young men walk across our Quad this morning (a few of them were skittering to make it before the bell), I am reminded how blessed and honored I am to be entrusted with the care of this, our nation's oldest Catholic and only Jesuit boarding school. I am also reminded what a wonderful work we endeavor here: forming young men to be men of competence, conscience, compassion, and courage; men of faith and men for others. Our shared mission is renewed with the start of this new school year.

On a personal note, I would like thank all who attended last evening's Installation Mass and Reception. I would especially like to extend my gratitude to the Very Reverend Robert Hussey, S.J., Provincial of the Maryland Province of the Society of Jesus for missioning me as Georgetown Prep's Director of the Work, for celebrating Mass for our community, and for renewing our Sponsorship Agreement with the Society of Jesus in which is recognized our value and centrality as a Jesuit Apostolate of the Church. Not least among the highlights for me was the opportunity to meet so many members of the Georgetown Prep Community. I look forward to meeting many more of you in the coming weeks.

In our Strategic Plan of 2015, one of the stated goals was to identify a theme for each academic year and to implement a plan for articulating, exploring, and to celebrate that theme. Building from last year's theme of Reconciliation, in which we considered among other things our own legacy in the nation's sad history of slavery, today I announce that our theme for the 2018-2019 academic year will be Discernment. In my conversations with our Director of Mission and Ministry and Headmaster, Mr. John Krambuhl and Mr. John Glennon, we agreed that it will not do to close the door on last year's exploration but that now we must ask ourselves the practical questions: What have we learned from this hard lesson from our past and where does God ask us to go with it now? Working with Mr. Krambuhl and Mr. Glennon, we have established an advisory committee from across our community, including students and teachers and administrators, parents and coaches and Trustees, to help us plan and execute the Year of Discernment.

The other day, speaking to the incoming freshmen and their parents, I noted that one of the great secrets of Georgetown Prep is that for as old as we are, each year we take on the intentional task of beginning the wonderful story of our school afresh; that each time a student, each time a class of young men takes up the labor of embracing the values we hold here, the learning and play that are the glue of our school, the ethos of brotherhood and service that mark our shared labors, the love of God and country that have been the hallmark of this unique place from its earliest days—each time a group of young men take up this endeavor, the vision of John Carroll is born again.

I would ask you all then to keep our young men in your prayers during these precious days, and their teachers and our staff as well. We have begun a wonderful work anew.

God bless,

Rev. James R. Van Dyke, S.J.
President

Over 450 members of the Georgetown Prep community attended the annual President's Mass and Reception on Sunday, August 26. The record crowd gathered in Prep's Chapel of Our Lady for the first school Mass of the 2018-2019 academic year.

The Mass was also the Installation Mass for Georgetown Prep's new president, Rev. James R. Van Dyke, S.J. Fr. Van Dyke assumed the position of president effective July 1.

The Very Rev. Robert Hussey, S.J., the Provincial of the Maryland Province of the Society of Jesus, missioned Fr. Van Dyke to be Prep's Director of the Work.

At the conclusion of Mass, Fr. Hussey renewed Georgetown Prep's Sponsorship Agreement with the Society of Jesus in which is recognized the School's value and centrality as a Jesuit Apostolate of the Catholic Church.

Below is Fr. Van Dyke's homily from his Installation Mass.

You know there is an old saying: "You are what you eat." I'll come back to that, but for the moment I want to talk about another saying: "You become what you love."

As some of you know, one of the best things I ever did as a kid was to row crew. I think about it now—how much it has shaped my personality—how much I love the wide open spaces and vistas you only get out on the water—how much I pay attention to the sky and the weather—my fascination with engineering and bridges—my love of boats—and my love of those moments when everything works together, when everything syncs and the boat sets up and eight guys pull together and the world is right and we slice through the water in one swift smooth efficient sweep. And, everything is quiet, serene, except for the murmur of the water under the keel. And as I think about my life rowing, and my years of coaching, my years of teaching, my life as a Jesuit, I realize how that remains—after all these years—my perfect moment, literally and metaphorically. It's how I feel when a class goes brilliantly, when a meeting works, when a conversation with an old friend flows. And, I suspect that each of you here has a similar moment—a similar metaphor—for what it is that you love. It may that moment when as a parent you held your son for the first time, or when you as a student knew that you really knew something, or maybe when as an athlete you watched the puck skim through a forest of sticks and skates into the net, or watched a pitch come slow-mo to your bat, or on stage hearing the lines come out of your mouth as though you yourself were speaking them for the first time in the history of the world, or as a musician when you no longer see notes but music and it flows from the tips of your fingers into the air not as a composition but as the very expression of your soul. That moment when we know that the world is indeed right.

I found myself thinking about all this the other day when I was reflecting on today's readings and how I—a kid from Buffalo—came to be at Georgetown Prep. How unlikely it all seems now, and yet, here we are. And, I remembered when I decided to row—when I saw the guys out on the Black Rock Channel as if for the first time and told my dad I wanted to do that. Because in my eyes, in my heart I knew that it was beautiful. And I wanted that beauty in my life. But it didn't work out—not at first, anyway. Because I was about 5'6" as a freshman and weighed maybe 92 pounds...maybe. So, they put me in the coxswain's seat instead—the little guy who had to yell and keep time and steer the boat. And I hated it. All the other guys got to move, to exercise, to keep warm in a Buffalo "spring" and I was cold and wet and miserable and living on cough drops. And all through that season I really wanted to quit, and at the end of the season I had to make a decision. And I did...I made the decision to eat so much that they could never put me in that seat again, that I could grow and work as hard as any of those guys, and that I would love this sport because it is beautiful. Because I really already did. And that's why I am here with you today—because of decisions I made along the way to do what was truly worth doing—to find what I truly loved and to pursue it with all my heart. And my young brothers, parents, faculty and staff, my brother Jesuits, that is why we are all here—because there are things we know, sometimes against all odds, sometimes against our own instincts, there are things we know are truly worth doing, truly worth loving, truly beautiful—no matter how hard they are, no matter how much they ask of us.

In the Gospel today, we hear of one such moment in the life of Jesus and his disciples. He has had to tell them hard things, things that were hard for them to believe—about who he really is, about what that means for his disciples. I am the bread of life, he tells them, and that to live we must eat his body and drink his blood—there is no life outside of that—anything else will just leave them hungry and eventually starving, starving to death. And for some of them, it is just too much. They say to themselves: This guy is a whacko, or a heretic, or a blasphemer, or a fraud. And they walk away; they cannot trust him. And he's sad—sad because a whole bunch of people—people whom he came to save—he lost them. But he can't lie about who he is, he can't sugar-coat it. Then he turns to his friends—his closest friends, who maybe have the same dubious looks on their faces—and asks: Are you going to leave me too? Can you trust me?

You can imagine that moment for them—everyone else is walking away, everyone else is giving up. This Jesus is now officially a nut-job. But he is also their friend, someone who has shown them through his words and his works how much God loves and forgives and reaches out—you can imagine their minds spinning as they think about all that they have seen with Jesus—the cures of lepers and blind people and lame people, the expulsion of demons, the feeding of thousands—and yes, they know this stuff is crazy, they know they would have to be nuts to trust it, but they know what they have seen, what they have experienced in their time with this Jesus—nothing less than the generosity and the spontaneity and the love of God himself. And they know...they know. Where would we go, Peter asks, where would we go? You alone have the words of eternal life.

My sisters and brothers, and especially my younger brothers, we are all faced with those moments, moments where we have to make those deep decisions, moments when we can walk away...or stay. And those moments can be incredibly hard—God knows—Jesus knows—how hard they can be because he too faced those same moments. He could have walked away so many times. God could give up on us so easily and with such good reason. But he doesn't...he doesn't. Because he loves us and he trusts everything in us that is true, everything that is honorable, everything that is just, everything that is pure, and lovely, and gracious, and excellent, and worthy of praise. For he has placed all those things in our hearts and when we trust them and follow them even when maybe we should give up—when we trust what God has placed in our hearts we become like him, loving all the right things. And trusting that God can still work even when it seems so unlikely—that God can work in the Church still despite the mess, that God can work in that person despite his or her issues, that God can work in me despite all the obstacles I place in the way, that God can still be present—truly present—in bread and wine blessed and shared among us because he said he would be because he knew that we would always need him as real food and real drink as we journey through life. He gives us this food so that we can become like him—true sons and daughters of our God. We become what we eat. We become what we love.

It's that simple: we become what we love. And that is what Paul means as he reflects on his own love for this Jesus—Paul who is so flawed and temperamental, just like all of us, but so loved by Jesus:

Whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is gracious, if there is any excellence and if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. Then the God of peace will be with you. Always. Always.

The 16th annual Jesuit Gridiron Classic will be held on Saturday, September 15 at Georgetown Prep. Come support the Hoyas as we take on the Gonzaga Eagles! Proceeds from the game will directly support our friends at the Washington Jesuit Academy. The varsity football game will begin at 2:00 p.m.

Tickets are $10 each and may be purchased online.

Patrick Dolan '19 and Ryan Martin '19 were recently named Semifinalists in the 2019 National Merit Scholarship Program.

Commended students in the Merit Program include seniors Fanzhi Chen, Gregory Cormier, Liam Crowley, Ryan Frant, Everest Litchford, and Tong Na.

According to the National Merit Scholarship Corporation, approximately 1.6 million students from about 22,000 high schools entered the 2019 National Merit Scholarship Program by taking the 2017 Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT). The nationwide pool is Semifinalists, representing less than one percent of U.S. high school seniors, includes the highest-scoring entrants in each state. To qualify as a semifinalist, a student must exhibit an exemplary academic record, submit a scholarship application, and earn a qualifying score on the SAT.

Congratulations to Patrick and Ryan on their remarkable academic accomplishment!

The following is a letter from Rev. James R. Van Dyke, S.J., president of Georgetown Preparatory School, to the School community.

Thursday, September 20, 2018

To our Families and Friends, Students and Alumni:

Brothers and Sisters,

It is just about two months now since I arrived here at Georgetown Prep, and only a few weeks since my official start. People from all across the Prep Community as well as friends from all over the globe have asked me, "How do you like Prep?" and "How's it going?" and "What do you think?" And it seems to me like it's a very good time for me to respond to those questions.

Prep is a wonderful place, a wonderful school, a wonderful community. There is no denying that this is a challenging time for a lot of reasons. But it is a wonderful place, a wonderful school, a wonderful community.

I don't say this because I have to; I say it because of what I see happening day after day: committed faculty and staff laboring hard and long hours to help a diverse group of young men from all over the world learn, and grow, to become "men of conscience, competence, courage, and compassion; men of faith and men for others." And why do they do it? Because they believe that their good efforts for these young men and their families will help our students to go forward beyond college to become agents of good in our world as professionals and public servants, as teachers and pastors, as fathers and spouses and friends. We see in our students the enormous potential they have to build a better, gentler, more just world. And it is not an idle dream: we watch our students work in our Christian Service Program, giving up vacations and breaks to travel far and wide, into neighborhoods a few miles away and to far continents, to tutor, to build, to repair, to live in solidarity with the poorest people on our globe, putting faith into action. We see our teams pick up the ethic of service as well, working with the Special Olympics, the Challenger programs, and countless other unsung service projects. We see it in the students who spend tireless hours doing in-house tutoring, the guys who volunteer for set-up and break-down and hosting duties at on-campus events. We see it in the guys who look out in the South Room to make sure that no one is sitting alone at lunch.

It is not that our students are perfect; they are still learning, and we hope that they will continue to learn, not only at the intellectual level, but at the spiritual, moral, psychological, social and interpersonal levels as well. For every stage of their life will require that of them, both personally and professionally. And our dedicated faculty and staff, our coaches and moderators work to help them prepare for that, to become men who will embrace the hard lessons and learn from them. Our own efforts are not always perfect nor do we always get it right, mind you, but they are good—deeply good, and I am so pleased to be part of a community of professionals who labor so hard to get it right and for the right reasons.

I mentioned above that it is a challenging time for Prep, and indeed it is. But in this time too there is a grace, and I am proud of the way our faculty and staff are responding. It is a time for us to continue to evaluate our school culture, as we do each day, and to think deeply and long about what it means to be "men for others," what the vaunted Prep "brotherhood" is really about. It is a time to continue our ongoing work with the guys on developing a proper sense of self and a healthy understanding of masculinity, in contrast to many of the cultural models and caricatures that they see. And it is a time to talk with them honestly and even bluntly about what respect for others, especially respect for women and other marginalized people means in very practical terms—in actions and in words. We are keenly aware that they are young men—adolescents—and that these lessons are often hard to learn because they ask young men to move beyond their natural insecurities and self-concern and to push beyond what is presumed in so much of popular culture. But we know it is vital and that it will take time and effort and great adult role models. I am proud that our faculty and staff are embracing this work with all their heart.

It's also been tough to see the caricature that we have been painted with by some: that we are somehow elitist, privileged, uncaring. That we are elite, we cannot deny; every student who comes here is chosen for his personal potential regardless of financial need, and every member of the faculty and staff is chosen precisely because we think they will help to build a good and responsible and caring community for our students. There is no one here by default. That we are privileged, we also cannot deny; generations of visionary Prep alumni and friends have helped to build excellent facilities for classes and for athletics and have underwritten our retreat and service and arts programs; our students have families who love and care about them and want the best for them; our faculty and staff are educated far above the norm, many with multiple graduate degrees, and are allowed to work with students beyond a rigid curriculum that constrains many institutions. But we are not entitled, and one of the most important lessons we strive to live and to teach our students is an ethic of service and compassion and solidarity with those in need. The challenge of these days does not mitigate the need for those qualities; in fact, it asks us to renew our commitment to them, both for ourselves and for our students and their families.

And contrary to the caricature as well, the wider school community is not uncaring; I ponder with gratitude the many calls I have received offering help for our needier students and their families, the willingness of our alumni to finance scholarships for applicants from the poorest families in our area, the parents who offer to put in a little extra or to give a little more time so that the families who can't afford something or can't give rides can be included. And I look to the community of parents who long ago formed and continue to pilot to the Community of Concern to help our new parents deal with and educate their sons about the false allure of alcohol, drugs, tobacco, and other destructive habits.

Yes, it is a challenging time, even a tough time. But I reflect on these gifts—the gifts of conscience, competence, courage, and compassion that I see in our faculty and staff, in our parents, in our wider community—and though I may have to face difficult phone calls and emails, I know that our school and its community is well prepared to and committed to help these young men to become most truly men of faith and men for others. And I am grateful.

Yes, it is a tough and challenging time. But I remember the words of the wedding vows that I have heard so many of my family and friends profess over the years: "for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health." And I would not want to be anywhere else. Not for a moment.

Sincerely in Christ,

Rev. James R. Van Dyke, S.J.
President

Georgetown Preparatory School
Statement | September 26, 2018

Several media outlets, including The Washington Post and The New York Times, in pursuit of their own agenda, have published articles about and including Georgetown Preparatory School without seeking comment or response from the School. The following is a statement from Georgetown Preparatory School.

As the oldest Catholic high school, and the only Jesuit boarding school, in the United States, Georgetown Preparatory School is dedicated to the mission of "forming men of conscience, competence, courage, and compassion; men of faith and men for others" since its founding in 1789.

That mission is grounded in our Ignatian Identity, and is our highest aspiration. At this moment, because our community is being disparaged, we are challenged to stand up for this mission, our values, and the integrity with which we attempt to live them out.

The image that has been presented on social media and in various news outlets depicts recklessness, illegal conduct, and lack of respect for persons. Worse, many blame these faults on institutional indifference.

But the temptations, and the failings, presented in these stories are not unique to Georgetown Prep. The problems and abuses of alcohol and drugs, sexual assault and misconduct, emotional and physical violence toward others are real; educators at every institution of primary, secondary, or higher learning in our nation face these problems every day. Serious educators in public, private, religious, and secular schools as well as parents and families have been wrestling with the collateral damage of an out-of-control culture for many decades. Jesuit schools, Georgetown Prep among them, have been working together since the 1970s to address these issues. We are proud of such documents as the Profile of the Graduate at Graduation which have guided our efforts on behalf of our students, their families, and our larger community for over 40 years.

But it is demonstrably false that such behavior or culture is tolerated, still less encouraged, at Georgetown Prep. In fact, our curriculum is designed to guide students away from these malignant influences, and to guide them through reflection away from selfishness and towards a life of service for and with others. And we empower our faculty and staff to administer our rules and policies strictly but compassionately.

Certain individuals have recently presented themselves as representing the culture of Georgetown Prep authoritatively. They do not. The views they present may well represent their experience, but they do not represent our institutional or pedagogical goals, nor our efforts to implement those goals on behalf and out of a deep and abiding care for our students and their families, and for the larger culture in which they will work and live and raise their families.

It is all too easy to paint malicious stereotypes about a group of people based on assumptions about their gender, ethnicity, or their station in life. Part of our educational foundation is the continued evaluation of everything that we do, personally and institutionally, that we may live most fully the commandment to love God and neighbor.

The core of our mission is to be men for and with others. Our students take that call to service seriously and give of their own time and effort to stand with and serve others in our nation and in the world, broadening their understanding about the reality of poverty and oppression.

It is not that our students are perfect while they are here or even when they graduate; they are still learning, and we hope that they will continue to learn, not only at the intellectual level, but at the spiritual, moral, psychological, social and interpersonal levels as well. For every stage of their life will require that of them, both personally and professionally.

Georgetown Prep's dedicated faculty and staff, coaches and moderators work to help our students prepare for life after Prep, to become men who will embrace the hard lessons and learn from them. Our own efforts are not always perfect nor do we always get it right, but they are good—deeply good, and we are pleased to be a community of professionals who labor hard to get it right and for the right reasons.

Our ideals and aspirations are appropriately high; we will not compromise them nor waver in the pursuit of them. Of course, it means that reflection and evaluation, both personal and institutional, are always necessary as we grow in our understanding of what our community must do to help our students live up to their best hopes.

In our 230th year of forming men for and with others, Georgetown Prep remains committed to guiding and safeguarding young men in a world where they will face distorted values and moral compromise but where they have the obligation and opportunity to work for good across a whole sphere of human endeavor. This is our abiding mission, Georgetown Prep's very reason for being, and the essential fabric of our whole school community.

Ad maiorem Dei gloriam

On October 1, thirty-one members of the class of 2019 were inducted into the Saint Edmund Campion chapter of the National Honor Society.

All inductees maintained a high academic average while taking very rigorous course loads and exhibited the four values of excellence in service, character, scholarship, and leadership during their tenure at Georgetown Prep. All members of the National Honor Society are expected to maintain their academic standing and serve as mentors to underclassmen.

Members of the Georgetown Prep National Honor Society are dedicated to the School's academic support programs. Inductees work in the Prep tutoring center, assist in the writing center and are committed to tutoring after school hours for several hours per academic quarter.

The National Honor Society is the nation's premier organization established to recognize exceptional high school students. Founded in 1921, the organization serves to honor students who have demonstrated excellence in the areas of service, character, scholarship, and leadership. The Georgetown Prep Saint Edmund Campion chapter was founded in 1979.

Congratulations to the thirty-one inductees of the National Honor Society!

Kobe Borda
Justin Francis Bustamante
Jeffrey Chen
Gregory Cormier
Ethan Cosgrove
Matthew Crowe
Yuki Cui
Peter Davin
Patrick Dolan
Ryan Frant
Charles Furlong
Sanjay Gospodinov
Ryan Gottshall
Jonathan Jakobowski
Cayden Jasek
Jacob Kaufmann
Jonathan Kazor
Conor Luck
Quinn Maloney
Ryan Martin
Erik Mitchell
Mark Novikov
Will Pappert
Timothy Peoples
Gedeon Poukouta Livit
Riu Qiu
Emmet Scanlon
Chris Semancik
James Shon
Carter Ye
Reagan Yeatman

Read the op-ed here.

America Magazine is a Jesuit sponsored multimedia publication founded in 1909.