Below is the essay my daughter wrote for the Joe Krivak Tuition Scholarship Fund entry. She won $500 tuition fund that she can use for the next school year.
Being a Follower of Christ and a Leader in the World
On many occasions throughout my time in high school thus far, I have been prompted to
nish the phrase “Here at Madonna, we are...”, to which I routinely give the response, “Followers of Christ, Leaders in the World.” I hear this line time and time again: in school over the loudspeaker when the morning announcements are read, at church as the weekly Mass is concluded, and even at home, when it is repeated in a phone call from the school oce. Though the phrase may simply sound like a catchy motto, its signicance to me is very profound; it represents the way that, through being a member of the Madonna family, I have developed and strengthened both my role in the church as a follower of Christ and my position as a leader not only in the school, but also in my community and in the world.
Because of my experiences at Weirton Madonna, I am able to acknowledge that being a Follower of Christ involves more than just attending Sunday mass, reading the Bible, or praying beforebedeachnight. Tome,beingaFollowerofChristasapartoftheMadonnafamilymeans that instead of simply living my life with God in it, I strive to live my life for God. At Madonna, every school day, sports practice, extracurricular activity, or community service project that I attend is an opportunity for me to continue living for God and furthering my relationship with Him. Madonna High School has allowed me to enrich my faith life in many ways; from volunteering at local soup kitchens to donating to clothing and food drives to altar serving or proclaiming the readings at Mass, being a part of the Madonna family has helped me live my life while fully glorifying and following Christ.
Also due to my experiences at Weirton Madonna, I have come to understand what being a leader in the world means. Though being a class president, a team captain, or a club ocer are great ways to lead, I have learned through Madonna that anyone can be a leader. To me, being a leader in school, in our community, and in our world means taking charge to make a dierence or make a positive change in someone or something. The change we bring about is made even more impactful when we lead others to follow suit. Being a leader through Weirton Madonna means standing for your beliefs and building up those in the world around you to do the same.
As I continue to be a part of the Madonna family today, tomorrow, and the days after that, I will continue to hear the same one phrase. It is when I listen to “Here at Madonna, we are...” that I am reminded that everyday is an opportunity for me to live my life for God and lead others to make a dierence in the world, a day to be a Follower of Christ and a Leader in the World.
