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Hello! Below you will find a written version of a speech, authored by Alumna and valedictorian Gia O'Neill '11, which she delivered at an Open House event for prospective students and parents. Her speech puts into words the feelings of all Griffins, past and present, that have loved the Bishop Maginn community. Enjoy!
Greetings. I have been going to Bishop Maginn for four years. I am a senior now and I would just like to share some of my experiences and thoughts on my time here thus far. I started out just like any other scared freshman, but I quickly adapted to my new surroundings. This is one of the best things about Bishop Maginn. It doesn’t take long to make new friends and to feel like you are a part of the school. The teachers work to make you feel welcome and as much a part of the school as anyone else. I love my teachers. They all do whatever they can to help us learn the given material to the best of our ability. A great student-teacher relationship is established immediately and this makes learning easier. They always go out of their way to help us in any way.
The students are my favorite part about Maginn. Being a smaller school, you get to know everyone and everyone knows you. I have made some of the best friends I could have asked for. I have met so many people from so many walks of life and I wouldn’t have it any other way. I have met foreign exchange students from Vietnam, Germany, and Korea, I have met students that moved here from other countries such as the Dominican Republic, and I have met many other people from many other places. I love the diversity at Maginn. You get to know a race outside of your own and this prepares you for the real world when not everyone you meet will look like you. We are so close to each other that we are like a family. I think of all of my classmates as my own brothers and sisters and I know I wouldn’t have that at a larger school.
Besides the people at Maginn, I also love my classes. One of the main goals of Bishop Maginn is to prepare students for college and life after college. Our classes do exactly that for us. There are several college courses that we can take, including Spanish 4 and 5, AP Calculus, Anatomy, and College Statistics. They allow us to see what college material is really like and we are able to earn credits for those courses. One of my favorite classes is Theology. Being a Catholic School, each student is required to take Theology. I believe it is important for us to embrace our spirituality, and we are allowed to do so during class and through Mass and Prayer Services. Every student is not Catholic and our teachers make sure to touch on all forms of religion and I know every student appreciates it.
There are also many extracurricular activities that students have the opportunity to be a part of. I have been involved in several sports and many clubs and there is something for everyone. I love being able to be active and play a sport one day but focus on creativity in Art Club the next day. Most students are involved in at least one activity and the time and effort put into them by teachers and coaches is greatly appreciated.
I have had the best four years of my life at Bishop Maginn and I hope that many more students will be able to share my happiness. This being said, it is important to increase enrollment and spreading the good word of Bishop Maginn throughout the community can do this. Many people believe that we are located in a bad neighborhood but I will argue this until the day’s end. This is not true. We are never exposed to anything harmful and we do know that safety of students is the top priority of Bishop Maginn. I have never had any problems in school or while walking to or from school and I believe this is important for people to know. I feel so safe once I walk in these doors and I always know that I will have a great day here.
I will be the third generation to graduate from Bishop Maginn and I couldn’t have picked a better school to call my Alma Mater. My grandparents graduated from Cathedral Academy and Vincentian Institute and my parents graduated from Bishop Maginn. Bishop Maginn is a family and whether you like it or not, you become a part of the family once you walk through these doors and you remain a part of it forever, it won’t end on graduation day. I consider Bishop Maginn to be my home away from home and I am confident that Maginn will remain here for many more generations of students. I hope to send my own children here one day and this can be done with your help and support to keep Bishop Maginn open. I wish all the happiness that I have had here to the many students to become part of the Bishop Maginn family.
