In 2021, I walked onto Brophy campus for the first time; I was shocked. My middle school campus looked like a joke compared to the facilities at Brophy. Also, I could go and experience not only Brophy but a second school just as large – Xavier. 

Last year, our schedules grew apart; Brophy adopted the 80-minute block periods while Xavier stuck with the traditional 50-minutes. This changed the possibility of co-ed art classes, lunches, and study sessions. The only time to meet with Xavier students was before and after school. 

However, even that was taken from Brophy and Xavier students. As a freshman, I frequently visited Xavier’s campus to meet with middle school friends, but it always ended with a school administrator telling me to leave, which was puzzling. 

After a solid month of not communicating with my friends at Xavier, I lost contact. Our friendships went out the window. Brophy’s schedule change with Xavier’s strict after school policies brewed the perfect storm. 

I wanted to hangout with my buddies over at Xavier, but the schedule made it difficult. The fine arts classes at Brophy had a mix of Xavier and Brophy students, which allowed for some friendships to brew between students of the two schools. 

The schedule change broke a connection that I had at Xaiver, and now it is harder than ever to make connections with the other school. The only weekly co-ed events that we host are football and basketball games, which is not even close to the four to five hours that Brophy guys had during the old schedule.

I want Brophy and Xavier students to be able to reconnect with each other, especially through co-ed classes during school hours. Sure, Brophy events after school allow Xavier girls to attend and participate with Brophy and host a co-ed environment, yet there are some guys (like me) who would rather have a built-in co-ed environment to meet my Xavier counterparts.