The Counter-Cultural Value of Catholic Education: Knowledge, Faith, and Service By: Kerry Martin, PHS Dean of Studies
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n a recent issue of Pioneer Press, a newsletter sent to current PHS families, Mr. Joe Sciuto, our Head of School here at Providence, shared the discussions he and several other Presidents and Heads of Catholic Schools had regarding the value of a Catholic Education. Mr. Sciuto pointed out the tangible sense of community here at Providence as a major draw, in addition to our strong academic and co-curricular programs. January 31st – February 6th marked this year’s Catholic Schools’ Week and I too found myself reflecting on what makes a Catholic Education special, unique, and superior. The theme of Catholic Schools’ Week this year focused on three facets of Catholic education that are at the core of who we are: knowledge, faith, and service.
to share it. In his article, “College Admission 2.0: Service Over Self,” Weissbourd discussed the consensus among the consortium of college admissions deans and guidance counselors he hosted. The consensus of these deans from the Ivy Leagues, published in their report, “Turning the Tide,” is that the absurdly competitive college admissions process has turned high school students into stressed-out, brag-sheet obsessed mercenaries fighting for the highest GPA possible, regardless of the cost to their own personal well-being. Weissbourd summarized their conclusion in this way: “Yes, academic engagement matters…[but] so does meaningful ethical engagement.” The article and the report referenced go on to list the major recommendations that came from the meeting, including the importance of students “immers[ing] themselves in an experience that is meaningful to them over a sustained period of time and whether they learn about themselves; the perspectives of others…and their responsibilities toward their communities.” As you might imagine, I cracked a rather smug grin at this point in the article, thinking of our Christian Service program and Senior
It struck me that the unique strength of the Catholic education we offer here at PHS resides in the fact that knowledge is not an end in and of itself. We are called by our faith to use our knowledge in service of others. As providence would have it, I came across an article by Richard Weissbourd, senior lecturer at the Harvard Graduate School of Education, which confirmed the value of that combination and I felt immediately compelled Pioneer Connections
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