Catholic Schools Week: Voices of Our Students

Catholic Schools Week celebrates the faith, community, and excellence that make St. Paul of the Cross School a special place to learn and grow. Throughout the week, we highlight the strong academics, welcoming environment, and meaningful traditions that shape our students’ lives.

In celebration of Catholic Schools Week, below are short reflections from our students on what it means to be a student at St. Paul of the Cross School. Their words reflect the support of caring teachers, the joy of lasting friendships, and the role faith plays in everyday life. From classroom learning to activities like Fun Run, the SPC Olympics, volleyball, and Roundball, students share experiences that build teamwork, leadership, and lifelong memories.

Grace D

Being an SPC student means that you feel loved by the amazing staff and other fellow students. When I came to SPC in 7th grade, I was surrounded by amazing teachers and friends. I met an amazing group of girls who welcomed me with open arms and that really made a difference. When you’re a Tiger, you’re given amazing academic opportunities. You also are able to participate in lots of sports and after school clubs. When I play volleyball at SPC, I take it as a great chance to spend time with friends. I have made so many memories at volleyball.

Students at SPC are also given the gift of learning about God. I believe that this school gets you prepared to do your best in your journey once you leave SPC. I feel that this school is a place where you can learn and be yourself. SPC truly is the place to be!

Zoe F

Going to SPC for me means learning something new everyday and being with supporting friends and teachers. SPC has given memories like Fun Run and the SPC Olympics. Last year at the Olympics during the games our team was encouraging each other and when we failed we picked each other back up and continued. SPC has grown my faith and has given me many friendships I will never forget. When I first came to SPC I knew no one, but I made a great friend named Annabel.

SPC will forever be a place I will call a second home. Even though this is my last year at SPC, I won’t ever forget my teachers, classrooms, and friends here at SPC. SPC is the place to be!

Jimmy F

To me, it means a lot to be at SPC, especially because I am leaving for high school next year. It will be tough to not be in classes with kids who I have known since I started kindergarten. Going to a new school and where there will be new friends and experiences will be a big change. The friends that I have met, the teachers who I have known, and all the memories at SPC will stay forever in my mind.

I’ve been at SPC for so long and had so many amazing opportunities. My favorite memories as a SPC student were walking into the school in march and knowing it’s March Madness and Roundball. For those of you who don’t know what roundball is, it’s SPC’s version of March Madness. Roundball got me close with a lot of people, like my coaches. I didn’t really know how my coaches acted or who they were as people, and now I know. And the best thing about Roundball is competing with, and against, your friends. The last thing is the memories you make from it, and the connections you make with the people. I got really close with a lot of my teammates and made a lot of memories thanks to SPC. Going to SPC is important to me but the thing that makes it so amazing is the connections and community. The people around me have helped me in becoming a better, more honest person and a strong leader.

Annabel J

Being a student at SPC means more than earning good grades or being successful in sports. It means choosing to grow, not only in knowledge, but also in character. At SPC, we are taught to be honest, trustworthy, and faithful, even when it’s difficult. We learnt that our education is not just about preparing for tests, but about preparing for our life ahead. As SPC students, we are called to live with integrity and treat others with kindness, respect, and compassion.

An SPC graduate leaves with God at their side and strong values in their hearts. We graduate as people others can rely on, people who can stand up for what is right and care deeply for those around them. To be an SPC student is to stove everyday in being generous, thoughtful, and loving in our actions. At SPC, we are shaped not only for graduation, but for a lifetime of faith, walking forward with God in our hearts, His love in our actions, and a light that continues to shine long after we leave these halls.

Lucas J

It means a lot to me being a student here at SPC. It is a very good private, Catholic school with good education and teachers. The other students here at SPC are also very nice and good friends. This makes me appreciate SPC even more for being a welcoming environment. We go to church every Tuesday, which is an important thing, in my opinion. Going to mass is an important thing because, when we go to mass every Tuesday, we get closer to God, and pray and talk to God too. We connect more with God every time we go to mass.

The sports are very fun, and there are many amazing ways to get involved between SPC Olympics, Fun Fair, Fun Run etc. It is important to be involved with SPC because you get involved in group projects with your friends and peers. SPC is a very inclusive place as well where nobody is left out and everyone is involved in the fun activities that their friends do too. I’ve enjoyed my time here at SPC with the friends I’ve made. I am very appreciative of my parents for sending me to such an amazing school.

Harley K

SPC means a lot of things to me as a student. Ever since I came here in 1st grade, I have made lots of relationships with teachers and staff. It means a lot to me because of all the memories I have at the school, both inside and outside of the classroom.

A core memory for me was running my first Fun Run and participating in SPC sports. SPC will remain in my mind forever as a great school.

David K

I have been going to SPC for roughly nine years now. SPC, to me, is more than a place to go from 7:45-3. To me, I love this school most after 3 o’clock. The school means tradition. SPC has so many traditions that take place during the year. One example is roundball, and another is Pack the Gym Night. These two events bring people together within the school and bring a sense of community.

At this school, teachers do more than teach, coaches do more than coach, and students do more than learn. SPC is a great environment for kids growing up. This school teaches us about God, school subject, maturity, and accountability. The school sports are awesome. Our school does so much more than just host games, there are so many activities that show school spirit and Tiger pride.

I have had a very up and down journey at SPC. I’ve been blessed throughout my life to attend this school and build memories, positive and negative, that will last a lifetime. Even though school can be challenging at times, and things may not always be perfect, I’m forever thankful for the experiences I’ve had here. I hope the next generation of Tigers has an even better experience than I did.

Ella N

Being a student at SPC means friendship. There are so many great friendships here that make school fun and worthwhile. I’m so grateful that I could be a student here and participate in afterschool activities as well as events throughout the day. One of my favorite memories of spending time with my friends after school is going to Starbucks and then the library. Being a student at SPC means getting closer to God through knowledge of Him as a friend.

Being a student at SPC also means having big opportunities. There are so many clubs and activities you can sign up for. SPC also offers scholarships for essays. I won a couple of years ago. This shows that this school is generous towards its students. The biggest opportunity, however, is the opportunity to get closer to God and the church.

Jimmy O

For me, being a student at SPC means being a part of a greater Catholic community. I feel like I am a part of this community, not just because I am a student here, but because I go to mass here, altar serve here, and do service events here.

Not only do I get a great education, I also learn how to love Jesus like I’m supposed to do. What I love most about this school is how interconnected everyone is within the school when it comes to events, big and small. An event where the entire school feels connected that I have experienced is Roundball. Whenever Roundball starts, the gym is always packed at every game on every day. This event is so big for SPC that students from other schools even come to Roundball, which shows how big and connected this event is throughout the Catholic community.

Violet O

To me, being a student at SPC means being with friends and making new ones. I came to SPC in 4th grade, but I was here before that for Pre-K. I met my best friends through school at SPC, and if I hadn’t moved back to this school years later, I wouldn’t have made new friends that I cherish so much. I remember meeting my best friends at SPC in preschool, and then reuniting with them years later. We have grown in the 11 years we’ve known each other.

SPC has not only helped me learn academically, but also about myself too. Most of my friend group is splitting up for high school, but I know that we will all stay friends because we all went to a small school together and got really close. SPC has been a place where friendships were made for me, and I hope that with every new student that comes to SPC after we graduate, new friendships begin with the school year.

Sophia R

To be a student at SPC can mean a lot of things to a lot of people. There are many ways you can be successful at SPC. For example, since I started here in 1st grade, I have always felt so welcomed. On my first day at SPC, I remember when I walked in everyone talked to me and made me feel so welcomed. Mainly it was Mrs. Kraft, my teacher, and 2 girls. Because of them, I started to love SPC.

As a student, you are motivated by your teachers and your friends to always do your best. This includes academics and sports. During sports, like volleyball, the experience is always positive. One of the positive experiences I had in volleyball was when I was in 6th grade, and everyone on my team, including the coaches, was so kind and supportive. Even if you messed up or did something wrong, instead of getting upset or annoyed at me, they would help me to improve.

In conclusion, being a student at SPC means you achieve your full potential while doing things you love and making everlasting memories while doing them!

Avery S

To be an SPC student means to be kind, respectful, and a leader for others. This school allows us to build character as students, and lets us show others who we are. Another thing about what it means to be an SPC student is getting involved in activities like clubs, sports, and new experiences. It’s great to stay active and participate in everything going on because it allows us to make more friends, prevents us from being lazy, and it gives us a great sense of accomplishment.

It has been great to be in NJHS, which shows us to be leaders and respectful students to others especially when doing big projects for people that most certainly need it. Being a part of the basketball team has allowed us to work together as a team, and lead by example whenever someone is mad at themselves or can’t get over the play they just made. Being a good teammate allowed us to boost each other up, and flip the page from our past mistakes. This is also how being a team can lead to victory, and be a lot more confident in themselves when you act this way as a captain of the team, or even as a bench player!

One last thing about what it means to be an SPC student is that we stay true to our faith and feel the presence of the Lord. We remain open to God and show our love for him by praying, going to Mass, and taking a moment everyday to reflect. I think this is so important for us to know because SPC is not just about the community and our education. We are here to show our faith in the Lord as Catholics, everyday.

Patrick S

Being a student at SPC has made me the person I am today. I have been at SPC for 11 years, and I have realized this school means much more to me than academics. Through SPC, I have grown in faith and strengthened my relationship with God. When I had to choose a Confirmation Saint, I ended up choosing Saint Peter because he was Jesus’ perfect servant and was trusted, but he was also very human and made mistakes, just like I do. At SPC, I feel welcomed and like I belong here.

Everyday, I get to go to school and learn something new. I strongly believe that my teachers and peers played a huge role in me becoming who I am today. Many friends have taught me that I don’t have to try and fit in with others, but I can just be myself, and I am very grateful for that. One of the biggest reasons SPC is like a second home to me is my friends and classmates. From my first day at SPC, I have met my closest friends. Every year, I feel like I have met a new friend. Overall, being a student at SPC means growing a better relationship with God and becoming a better person.