What SCC means to me

I have been going to Saratoga Central Catholic School in Sara­toga Springs for about a year and a half now, and it has made a huge difference in my life.

SCC has some of the most caring and trustworthy teachers you will ever meet. I can always feel comfortable going to them when I don’t understand a math concept, or my science homework. Those same teachers, will not only help me with my problems in the classroom but are always there for me if I’m ever having problems with a friend. They will gladly talk to you about a common interest — in my case sports. Most of my teachers like Mr. Z and Mrs. O’Donnell are happy to talk about the baseball game last night or the football coach in the news. It makes me feel cared for and appreciated, knowing that my teachers genuinely like me.

Community is one of the big­gest parts of our school. There are not a lot of kids here, so everyone pretty much knows each other. I am close with my friends in seventh grade, but what makes me feel special is that I can talk to anyone, whether they’re a senior or a sixth-grader. I can talk to them about anything, and they can talk to me about anything, too. The people at SCC, the teachers, the students, they all genuinely care about each other and it’s a great feeling to be a part of something so small, yet so big. 

There also has some pretty awesome extracurriculars at our school. I’m an athlete so personally, I like things like soccer, basketball, and baseball. But not everyone is an athlete so our school also has Odyssey of the Mind, Chess Club, and History Club. SCC also accepts everyone into their clubs and sports teams so there are really no limits as to who can do what. 

As a Catholic school, SCC incorporates God and the teachings of Jesus into modern-day learning. On the first Friday of every month, we go to Mass. We go to Mass on Holy Days, too. Every year our school performs a living Nativity on the front lawn during the Victorian Streetwalk. I was asked to be Joseph this year, and knowing it was out of my comfort zone, the teacher running it, Mrs. Cronin, was very kind and understanding, and made it a positive experience for me. Middle-schoolers like me also have religion class every other day and high schoolers have theology. 

Saratoga Central Catholic has made a huge difference in my life. I went from hating school, not caring about my grades, and being a troublemaker, to enjoying waking up every morning and going to school, caring about my grades, and being a conscientious, respectful individual. 

I would recommend SCC to any kid grade 6 through 12 who is looking for opportunities to grow as a person, student, athlete, or a follower of Jesus. 

Aidan Crowther is a seventh- grader at Saratoga Central Catho­lic High School.