Students in Mrs. Iwanski’s business and technical writing class shared some of their favorite Everest traditions and what makes Everest unique. Here are some of their responses!
“Everest has a very strong faith community. Every class and extracurricular activity is faith-based, and Everest places a big importance on the Catholic aspect of our school. Every Friday we have Mass, and every Wednesday, during lunch, Adoration and Confession are offered. There are also Masses before school every day. Before class starts and after class ends, we always pray. Everest has helped me to grow in my faith immensely, and I am thankful that Everest has helped me develop my relationship with Christ this early in my life.” -Brandon Thomas ’27
“During the last week of January, our school and other Catholic schools celebrate Catholic Schools Week to celebrate our faith and participate in some fun activities. All the students participate in these fun activities. To me, Catholic Schools Week is very special. Firstly, we come together as a school, participate in fun activities, and celebrate our faith. Each day there is a special activity that we get to do as a school. I love when our school does fun things. The games and activities usually consist of decorating our school hallway, the boys’ basketball team playing basketball against the girls’ basketball team, an Academy/High School pep rally, lip-sync battles, dodgeball, and student appreciation coffee giveaways.” -Elizabeth Roddy ’27
“One of our favorite school traditions is the powderpuff game during homecoming week. It’s a fun game where the upperclassmen play the underclassmen in a flag football game. Before the actual game, we had practices with our coaches, the senior boys. It is a great way to bond with other classes, and it is very competitive. We love how it brings us all closer through good teamwork. Powderpuff is also so fun because it is a good way to get us out of class and encourage us to be active outside. Overall, it is a great memory that we will be able to look back on and cherish for the rest of our lives.” -Isabella Ponce ’26 & Rebecca Berney ’26
“While Everest Collegiate might appear to be just another private Catholic school, it is thanks to its students, staff, and directives that its community is truly unique. Initially, the school was founded as an academy for grades K–8 alongside an international program, which throughout the years has expanded and has given students from all over the world the opportunity to embrace American culture. In the last 15 years, the school has seen the arrival of students from countries such as Mexico, South Korea, El Salvador, Chile, Brazil, and Spain; each of them providing the local students with the chance to experience different cultures. Furthermore, the school also promotes apostolic formation, which gives students a unique way of being involved in the local community through community service, shaping the experience of each student.” -Gibrán SolÃs ’27
“The week leading up to homecoming was a week of excitement, energy, and school spirit that brought everyone together in the best way. The students were granted permission to wear spirit wear all week long, and each day had its own fun activity. Monday was tug of war day. Tuesday the students used teamwork to blow up and pop balloons. Wednesday the seniors participated in watching the sunrise together while the freshmen learned how to dance. On Thursday, the seniors played the varsity volleyball team, barely losing 2–1. The pep rally was a highlight, with the underclassmen upsetting the upperclassmen in the powderpuff game. By Friday, the whole school felt united, hyped, and ready to celebrate at the dance, making the week leading up to it just as memorable as the night itself.” -Edward Werner ’27
“From Mass on Fridays, adoration and confession on Wednesdays, and faith formation through various subjects daily, my faith has been formed and challenged. Having the Sacraments readily available at Everest has kept me on the right path. The most important lesson I learned from this whole experience is that you’re going to fail many times in life, but it’s very important that you never stop trying.” -Rory Plunkett ’27
“The things that I am most grateful for are the friends I have made at Everest and the people who have supported me throughout the years. I also appreciate the spiritual opportunities Everest provides, such as having priests or consecrated women available whenever we need them and the ability to spend time in the chapel whenever we need to pray. Everest has not only helped me grow spiritually but also academically. From participating in sports and forming bonds with teammates to having opportunities to take AP courses, dual enrollment, and life skills classes such as business and technical writing, family and consumer economics, and philosophy.” -Palin Leahy ’27
