February 1, 2023 at 4:36 p.m.
‘REAL SENSE OF FAMILY’
‘REAL SENSE OF FAMILY’
TE: What were your thoughts when Maginn closed?
ZA: I was upset. I went to Maginn since I was a freshman. When I went there, I expected to go for four years. I wanted to go and finish there. (After the school closed) I wanted to stay in a Catholic school environment since I was already so used to it. I didn’t feel like going back to public school.
TD: That was my freshman year of high school and it was new and I had to get used to it and I did get used to it. It was kind of upsetting that it was gone that fast. I just got used to this building. The day after we were told (the school was closing), we were getting recommendations from different places. It was like now I have to go do this whole process over again and get used to another place.
TE: How did you end up coming to gibbons?
TD: I have a scholarship and this was one of the places that took that scholarship.
TE: Before you went to Maginn, were you in Catholic or public schools?
TD: I was in Catholic school my whole elementary and middle school years. I went to public school for two years when I was younger but after that it kind of stuck, so I am used to this setting. (Dawkins and Ifenuk both attended Blessed Sacrament before attending Maginn).
TE: How do you get here?
ZA: There’s a school bus where Maginn used to be at the Cathedral, that’s been pretty helpful. If that bus was not there, there is no way I would be here.
TD: I was told I wouldn’t be here if that bus was not there. Conveniently, we are never late. The bus always comes right on time.
TE: How has your time been at NDBG?
ZA: For me, sports is a big thing. So when I came from Maginn, I lost school and I lost sports too. On top of wanting to build academic experience there, I wanted to build sports experience there. I was really working toward that. Coming here has definitely given me a new opportunity. (Zak is one of the stars of the boys’ basketball team).
TD: It got me back in the school setting. … I had to get used to the place. I think I am pretty comfortable right now.
KI: I started the year off pretty good because volleyball season starts before school, so I managed to get to know some of the girls before school started. I feel that the environment here is very accepting. It helps me get comfortable around the people that are here.
FT: My experience has been really good. At the beginning of the school year I came here in the summer to help out (former Maginn and current NDBG teacher Sue Silverstein), so I was getting to know some teachers. And I had friends from Maginn come here, so I wasn’t as nervous. The transition was really smooth.
TE: Do you feel this was the right move coming to Gibbons?
ZA: I am definitely glad I came here. Having people that went to Maginn made it feel like an extension of Maginn, it’s the same type of environment.
FT: I feel this school was the best choice for me. If I had to go to some random public school or charter school, I feel that I would have to restart my whole social life and I would feel nervous to do that.
TE: Do you feel that sense of family here?
ZA: That was one thing that I noticed here when I first came here, the school has a real sense of family. You guys are so accepting of each other. It was really crazy to see a school with the culture that is really built in.
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As for the not-so-distant future, the seniors are focused on life after NDBG.
Tijani has to pick between SUNY Albany, The College of St. Rose and Hofstra University for college. Ifenuk is waiting to hear from colleges and wants to stay local, while Archie is keeping his options open before he makes his decision, be it college or taking a gap year. Dawkins, just a sophomore, said he wants to pursue something in the science field, likely astronomy.
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