There are many memorable experiences I still carry from my time at St. Joe, and one of these experiences was the Fall Day of Service that I helped organize as part of Marist Youth. What started off as an unrealistic idea became an achievable reality with the help of students and faculty members who teamed up to help a number of communities across Brownsville.

For those who had the privilege of sitting in one of Mr. Hickson's classes, it is difficult to put in words the tremendous impact that his lectures could have on his students. It was a privilege to have him as a teacher three different times, and his Modern American History class continues to be one of the most memorable courses I have taken to this day. The book we read for that class, Howard Zinn's "A People's History of the United States," continues to be my favorite book of all time.

The sense of community is present as soon as you step foot on campus, and it's contagious the more you take advantage of what the school has to offer. Throughout my time at St. Joe, I saw just how much former students came back and contributed in different ways to ensure that the school continued to serve future students. This strong sense of community makes St. Joe quickly seem like not just a school, but rather a home for all those who study there.