St Stephens Academy - Academician Yearbook (Port Huron, MI)

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OUR CHALLENGE OF TOMORROW . . .

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road to maturity Final St. Stephen faculty urges us on to greater things This year was one of challenge for both instructors and students. With only seniors, the curriculum was the same as previous years. Under the competent leadership of Sister M. Coronata, principal, the faculty - Sister Jean Baptiste, Sister M. Evangelista, Sister Har- old Marie, Mr. Robert Sheehan, and Mr. Michael Gkekas - gave the sen- iors every spiritual, social, scho- lastic, and athletic advantage. Both, Mr. Gkekas and Mr. Sheehan, managed the sports program: golf, track, football, and basketball. Besides her duties as principal, Sister Coronata advised the news- paper staff. Sister Jean Baptiste monitored the yearbook, Student Council, and the National Honor Society. English and commercial departments were headed by Sister Evangelista, while Sister Harold Marie guided the Future Teachers. Sister Coronata, takes some of her precious time from a busy day’s schedule as principal to make an early announcement of the day’s important activities to the student body. Coach Michael Gkekas plans some strategic plays for St. Stephen’s final football team, an all-senior squad. The teacher’s work is not finished when school is dismissed. Here Sister Jean Baptiste, drafting instructor, checks jobs drawn by her draftsmen. 7

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• • . . . WE FACE IT TODAY BY . . SPIRITUAL GROWTH The keystone of Catholic education is the idea that man has a destiny beyond the merely human, that he is a temporal being who also faces existence in eternity. Many spiritual means are given to the class of 64 to en- able them to meet courageously the difficul- ties and problems of everyday living. What greater challenge is there for the seniors than to be living in this age marked with scientific achievements; some of which are being used for the destruction of man, while they were intended by God to enable man to advance in the knowledge of the real, the true source of all power— God. In religious instructions an appreciation of their Faith and their commitment to it was noted and studied. Ways and means to make this Faith a vibrant, living force were emphasized. As knowledge is food for the mind so is Holy Mass for the soul. The seniors have a privilege few possess, the opportunity for daily Mass and Communion. For a half hour each day, they may leave their worries and obligations behind and seek the strength in God to bravely face the challenges of the day. Each year the students are given the op- portunity to draw closer to God by taking an inventory of their spirituality. Three days of retreat are at their disposal. It is up to each individual to get the most out of re- treat. A schedule of conferences and prayer is set up for their thinking, and sp iritual reading is provided. Three days of precious school retreat recalls to the seniors their own eternal destinies; this brief period is a time of serious contemplation and of prayer. As a group of tenth graders we worshiped God at Mass, and now as Seniors we will soon face this obligation as one of our own responsibilities. Our use of the missal through these years have helped us to participate more fully in the greatest prayer-the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass.