After starting school during pandemic, St. John’s seniors say faith, academics and activities there laid groundwork for future success
After starting their freshman year with online classes during the COVID-19 pandemic, Anikwe Duru and Colleen Maloney of the class of 2024 at St. John’s College High School in Washington, D.C., said their experiences in peer ministry and religion classes, and through academic and intellectual pursuits and athletic competition there will prepare them to pursue their dreams for the future.
Coming full circle
Anikwe Duru, who is 17, said things have come full circle for him as he has participated as a peer minister at St. John’s, because in his freshman year during the challenging COVID-19 pandemic, students serving as peer ministers were the first people he met there.
“They were so welcoming. They made it feel like a true family. They were there for me. I could confide in them,” he said.
His class pivoted to hybrid and then in-person learning at St. John’s. “My class showed the strength and ability to form close bonds, even when we were far apart (initially),” Duru said.
As a peer minister, he has helped lead retreats and worked to welcome underclassmen there and help “build the culture that makes St. John’s special,” he said.