The teachers I had were smart, kind and helpful and did everything they could to help students learn and have fun simultaneously. I graduated as valedictorian of my 2010 class from Bellevue East High School.

I attended St. Mary's school from kindergarten through 8th Grade and enjoyed every moment of it. The teachers I had were smart, kind and helpful and did everything they could to help students learn and have fun simultaneously. I created friendships that have lasted, as I have gotten older. The things I learned, both from books and experiences, have prepared me for the challenges ahead of me. I graduated as valedictorian of my 2010 class from Bellevue East high school and am currently attending college at Marquette University in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, a Jesuit institution that is one of the top 100 schools in the nation and now have and an amazing internship with Northwestern Mutual. I can attribute these accomplishments to the things I learned while I attended St. Mary's. St. Mary's gave me the strong basis I needed to have to start high school right so I could be valedictorian and I choose the Jesuit institution because of the amazing education, both spiritually and academically, I had received at St. Mary's and I wanted to continue that style of learning. St. Mary's provided the basis I needed to succeed in all the things I have achieved to this point and I thank the school and my teachers greatly for helping me strive to be excellent. Ben Petr, Class of 2006, Alumnus, Sophomore, Marquette University