Cathedral students started the 2015-2016 academic year with hands-on activities, STEM lessons, team building, and prayer.

Students are back to school at Cathedral 7-12 High School. All grades returned last week to start the academic year with team building exercises and other preparation.

House III (grades 11 and 12) themed their prep day “Leadership and Community Kick-Off” with the intent to establish a tone of leadership and community for students through goal setting, team building, forming a house identity, and self reflection.

Teachers led a close read of President Barack Obama’s back to school speech followed by a reflection by each student on its relevance to him or her. Students then examined their personal brand and an acrostic poem modeled on a “Think Big” exercise.

Students wrote themselves “A Letter for June” containing their academic and personal goals for the year. The letters will be delivered to students at the end of the school year.

The Marshmallow Challenge followed where students competed in teams to build the tallest possible structure using dried spaghetti, marshmallows, and some other materials. After lunch, Cathedral scholars built “human machines” and presented their creations to their peers.

Students Reflect in the Chapel after Back to School activities

House III students reflect in the chapel after a day of back to school activities.

The day closed with additional reflection and prayer in the lower chapel of the Cathedral of the Holy Cross.

Cathedral 7-12 High School is an urban, multicultural, independent, Catholic, college preparatory school in Boston’s historic South End serving boys and girls of all faiths from grades 7 through 12. Rooted in gospel values, we prepare students for college and leadership for life.