The Student Government Service Committee (SGSC) at Seton School in Manassas is continuing the tradition begun in the 2019-20 school year of selecting a specific virtue as the focus for the student body and the faculty. This year’s virtue is humility, following charity (2019-20), fortitude (2020-21) and justice (2021-22).
“SGSC will promote this virtue by finding ways to integrate it into school events,” said junior Luke Mantooth, treasurer. “One of the most memorable ways we will promote humility is by presenting a skit focused on this particular virtue at the opening assembly on the first day of school.”
Senior Moira Haggerty, member at large, explained why the SGSC chose humility this year. “The fact that humility is a foundational virtue is acknowledged by many saints. This virtue is the bedrock on which the other virtues are built. It is also the opposite of pride, which is important for our age because man has so much pride in himself and his inventions, and has ignored the source of inspiration, who is God. “Humility is important as our virtue of the year because it reminds us that all our talents and gifts come from God,” she said. “We shouldn’t hide them, but we should acknowledge them as signs of God’s love and recognize the gifts others have received, without being envious of them.”
“We want to work on real life, everyday ways to practice humility, because it will benefit each person and the school as a whole,” said senior Emma Reynolds, secretary. “Humility is important because it helps turn our focus outward toward others, while thinking of ourselves less. We hope that embracing humility will help unify the student body throughout the year.”
SGSC faculty mentor, Jill Pogue, will use the book, “Humility of the Heart” by Father Cajetan Mary Da Bergamo, with her religion class and has encouraged the rest of the faculty to read this book and find other ways to integrate discussion of humility into their classes.
The second “S” in SGSC stands for service. Vice President Amelie Halisky believes that “service means planning and carrying out events that help students connect and interact with each other.”
Theresa Lalli, senior class representative, wants to “focus my last year here at Seton on promoting a deeper love of God throughout the whole school and being that upperclassman who can serve the younger students in their spiritual journey by answering whatever questions I can about Jesus and the Catholic Faith.”
The SGSC will welcome new students to Seton at the new student orientation day. They also welcome new faculty members Angie Baughman (pre-algebra), Leah Halisky (earth and space science), Mary Heisler (girls life skills), Carol Henry (geometry), and Jim Koehr (Algebra II).
Finally, they welcome Seton’s new mascot, El Conquistador, who will raise the level of school spirit at sporting events throughout the year.
