ATHL E TICS
Eddie Perez-Pelaez ’19
Spencer LaFata ’17
“Self-reflection and
personal growth are
never easy, but Fordham
Prep created all the
opportunities, through
retreats and classes,
for me to develop and
recognize the importance
of my spirituality.”
“The Prep nurtures social
justice for all people and
strives to influence its
students to partake in acts
of disinterested kindness for
the benefit of humanity.”
Fordham Prep taught me a lot in my years
prior to college. In many ways, my years at
Fordham Prep set the foundation for my
future academic and athletic endeavors.
The combination of Fordham Prep’s
athletic and academic opportunities
provided me with four years to practice
time-management and communication
skills before the degree of difficulty in
both fields increased. I left that school
with the knowledge of how to schedule
my time appropriately and the difference
between hard work and smart work.
One of the greatest skills I learned from my
time at Fordham Prep was the importance
of communication. Creating connections
and being able to express your thoughts
in a compelling manner is crucial to your
success in college. Communication skills
are especially important when asking
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for help. Because I was taught not to be
afraid to ask for help in my classes or in
the pool during my years at Fordham Prep,
I have been able to adjust and navigate
any difficulties I have experienced thus far
during my collegiate career.
Being a member of such a close-knit high
school swim and dive team, I began to
understand what it meant to be a part of
and compete for a group of individuals
with a unified goal. I later learned my
freshman year of college that being a
part of a team takes a lot self-reflection,
personal development, and mindfulness.
Self-reflection and personal growth are
never easy, but Fordham Prep created all
the opportunities, through retreats and
classes, for me to develop and recognize
the importance of my spirituality.
Fordham Prep is an enormous part of where
I am today in all of the aforementioned
aspects. Socially, it foments acceptance
and, akin to the teachings of the Jesuits
that founded it, promotes charity and
altruism amongst all of its members (that
is students and teachers alike), all of which
are extremely kind and caring people who
will be your friends for life. Similarly, it
offers a spiritually enhancing experience.
Regardless of your religious beliefs, the
Prep nurtures social justice for all people
and strives to influence its students to
partake in acts of disinterested kindness
for the benefit of humanity. I can also
tell you as a D1 soccer player that the
Prep’s athletic programs are some of
its strongest points and have given me
some of my most memorable moments
in my time at Fordham Prep along with
a band of brothers with whom you share
said memories. Academically, I will admit,
Fordham Prep has its flaws. While it offers
an excellent education, I believe that a few
tweaks here and there in its structure are
the only thing keeping it from being the
best school it can be. Notwithstanding,
this takes nothing away from the quality of
the education you will receive at Fordham
Prep with world class teachers who are
ready, willing, and able to help and guide
you at every turn.
SPRING 2020
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