By Alec Vick ’15
THE ROUNDUP
I feel very fortunate to go to a school that takes so many steps to bridge the opportunity gap for its vast range of students.
When a student steps onto Brophy’s campus, this gap may not be apparent, and does not show itself as often. But it is, in fact, among us.
This social and economic divide is what seems to connect us to the real world outside of the gates of Brophy. Luckily, the students who would typically not have the financial opportunity to attend this school are given a chance through programs such as Work Study and financial aid.
”It’s (Work Study) honestly a great program, and it’s awesome how dedicated everyone is at getting along and helping out our school, and (financially) it does help, at least enough to make a difference,” said Ken Conklin ’15, a student involved in the Work Study program.
Now this does not mean Brophy is the best school out there, or that its students automatically receive admission to a well-known college just because they have a BCP diploma.
“I can’t say with certainty that Brophy is better or gives students a better chance at succeeding because I’ve never attended public school,” said Mr. Steve Smith ’96, freshman English teacher and Work Study director. “I’m a Brophy grad, and I am a former Work Study guy myself—so I can say that from my Work Study experience, I felt well prepared to succeed in life.”
When it comes to the student body, despite common stereotypes, there is a large range of income per household. But the fact that this much diversity can attend school on one campus is a feat in itself.
“At the time, it was hard work, but ultimately it made me a better person, and those long hours are a big part of who I am today,” Mr. Smith said. “So, I can’t say it’s better than public school because I just don’t have that experience, but I can say that unequivocally, yes, the Work Study program has helped me to succeed in life.”
In this year’s Summit we will try to find a way to permanently close the opportunity gap.
For now, we should all feel at ease knowing that no matter what social class a student may belong to, we are all given an opportunity to come here everyday.
