St. Rita Of Cascia High School Established 1905 TRUTH • UNITY • LOVE The St. Rita Difference CARITAS PROJECTS The Caritas Project begins in a student's junior year and concludes in his senior year, and totals 100 hours of service. Students identify a problem or concern in their neighborhood, family, or city, and then a solution or way to solve that problem. Recent Caritas Projects include: • Care Packages for the Homeless • Sports Camps for Children • 5K Race Against Bullying • Clothing and Food Drives for • Blanket Drive for veterans the Poor • Peace Gardens • Care Packages for First • Softball Tournament to Support Responders Live Like John Foundation • Alzheimer's Awareness Walk • Yard Sale to Support Pediatric • Anti-Tobacco Awareness Brain Tumor Research Campaign • Vegetable Gardens for the Hungry St. Rita believes our students are agents of positive change and the Caritas Project is an example of that. MINIMESTER Minimester is a new program that is a required 30-hour course incorporated into the academic calendar of the school and is designed to teach students outside the classroom. The philos- ophy of minimester is that students sometimes learn by touching, seeing, and doing things outside the traditional classroom setting. Minimesters held in 2017-18 include: Washington D.C. Italy and France The Smoky Mountains Chicago Media College Football Spring Texas Chicago Architecture Practice Tour Colorado and History Baking Philadelphia Chicago Water Family History and Genealogy Boston Astronomy At St. Rita, we believe you weren't born to blend in. You were born to stand out. ALL-MALE ADVANTAGE Ritamen thrive in the all-male environment. Our students have the freedom to explore their individual interests and identities and can pursue their goals with condence in their own abilities and mutual respect for their peers. We strive and succeed in creating a male cama- raderie and brotherhood. The supportive, all-male environment lays the foundation for our students as they grow into men who even- tually become productive members of their community, men of faith and men of family. ABC • ADVICE BEYOND THE CLASSROOM The mission of the Advice Beyond the Classroom program (a nonprot organi- zation focused on professional development education) is simple: To "manufac- ture luck" and that luck is when preparation meets opportunity. Established in 2014 by visionary alumnus and Board of Directors member, Mr. Nick Lo- Maglio '04, the ABC program is a networking giant featuring over 75 alumni, 50+ mentors and advisors and 25 current students in the sophomore, junior and senior classes. The program is competitive, both in gaining entry and in sustaining success. The members of the program are ranked throughout the year and compete for end-of-the-year awards, college scholarships, and grants. A main goal of the ABC Program—and of Nick’s personally—is to help young Ritamen nd their career path and discover success. ABC’s professional devel- opment curriculum will give our students a leg-up on many of their competitors in college and the professional world. The real-life experience and skills being taught truly do go “beyond the classroom” at St. Rita. ACADEMIC ADVANCEMENTS • Our start time of 8:30 a.m. gives students a little extra sleep every day, as studies show the male adolescent brain functions better with more rest and a later start time, when they are more alert. • Our 19-minute activities period and 42-minute lunch periods give students the chance to seek out teachers for extra help, study for quizzes or tests, enjoy plenty of time for lunch or snacks in the Dining Hall, or simply spend time with friends. Ritamen have the freedom to do what they need to do during these extended breaks from the classroom. • Our rotating schedule ensures that no two days are exactly the same, with classes held at dierent times throughout the day, when students are more alert and active. • Extended holiday breaks during school year around Thanksgiving, Christmas and Easter. St. Rita of Cascia High School St. Rita High School is a Catholic college preparatory school for young men, rooted in the gospel of Jesus Christ and the tradition of St. Augustine, following the Augustinian philosophy of education. St. Rita aims to form each student as a whole person: spiritually, intellectually, emotionally, physically, and socially, and to provide its young men with the necessary skills to succeed in college and in life, leading to life-long learning and personal awareness. St. Rita High School at the Bernard J. DelGiorno Campus The construction of the Mrozek Family Fitness Center scheduled for completion in the fall of 2018. 600 21 14:1 Student Body Size Average Student Student - Teacher Ratio BY THEClass Size N "Life at St. Rita for my son and our family could be summed up in a motto, “All People Are Welcome”. The St. Rita family and student brotherhood have been magnicent! I have witnessed people from many backgrounds and ages recognize the St. Rita logo as my son wears it with extreme pride. Living in our current culture where division and exclusion of various people is happening, St. Rita is proof that we can function productively together beyond our dierences! We are grateful to be part of the St. Rita community!" --Deondre Bedgood, father of Langston, Class of 2020 (Kenwood Academy, Chicago) "In his rst two years at St. Rita, our son has been provided much opportunity for academic, as well as personal, growth. He has made great friends in both the classroom and on the athletic (Soccer) eld. We live in the south suburbs and he passes other Catholic high schools on his way to school each day at St. Rita. We remain thrilled that he selected St. Rita as the high school for him and greatly value the opportunities being provided him as a member of the brotherhood at St. Rita." -- Jim '84 and Colleen Breslin, parents of Brendan, Class of 2020 (Incarnation, Crestwood) The construction of the John McNicholas Clubhouse scheduled for completion in the fall of 2018. 24,596 187 1 Grammar schools S T. R I TA UMBERSSt. Rita Alumni since 1905 represented by student body FAMILY Through the Augustinian core values of Veritas (Truth), Unitas (Unity), and Caritas (Love), St. Rita strives to develop a bond between the members of the entire family: Augustinians, veritas | unitas | caritas faculty, sta, students, parents, and alumni. While not all TRUTH UNITY LOVE students who attend St. Rita are Catholic, we help to develop each student’s relationship with God and his faith. ST. RITA SPIRITUALITY FAMILY ACADEMICS STUDENT INVOLVEMENT CORNERSTONES Faith & Values Fr. Paul Galetto, O.S.A., Ph.D., Head of School, and the Augustinian community of priests, brothers, and educators, challenge students to be SPIRITUALITY restless in their pursuit of the knowledge of God. The Augustinian priests and brothers live in our on-campus monastery, working as teachers, administrators, and campus ministers and help promote our Augustinian Core Values of Truth, Unity and Love. Spiritual Growth • Four years of Theology classes • All-School Mass once a week • Mass and communion services available every morning • Daily prayer • Thursday novena to St. Rita • Opportunities to receive the sacrament of reconciliation • Opportunity to receive the sacraments of Initiation to the Catholic Church R.O.S.E. Hours (Reective Outward Service Experience) Each year, freshman and sophomore students are required to fulll a number of service hours to others. It is in serving those most in need that the Augustinian values of Veritas (Truth), Unitas (Unity), and Caritas (Love), are especially fostered in Ritamen and the social calling of the Christian life is actively realized. Service • Weekly mission collection to support the Augustinian Missions in Peru • Weekly trips to nearby P.A.D.S. food/clothing shelter • Summer service trips with Habitat for Humanity • Knights of Augustine student faith and service fraternity Retreats • All classes participate in retreats each school year • Juniors and seniors experience a four-day Kairos retreat o-site FAMILY The Napleton Family Grade School: St. Francis Xavier, LaGrange ”ST. RITA IS A HOME AWAY FROM HOME FOR OUR BOYS!“ Our journey from LaGrange to St. Rita began when our well-prepared curriculum; they are engaged in the classroom oldest son, Marty ’13, started looking at high schools. We by qualied teachers. Finally, they are encouraged to get researched several Catholic schools, visited the open houses, involved outside of the classroom – sports, band, theatre, attended shadow days – eventually deciding on St. Rita. Our student government and many clubs…. there is something second son, Frank, graduated in May ’18 and our last son, for everyone! Luke, is a junior. Each son’s reason to attend St. Rita was similar…” I feel at home here!” The overall LOVE that the boys show and feel for St. Rita is REAL! The friends they made are family – brothers – for life. St. Rita provides all the developmental tools that are needed Our sons entered St. Rita of Cascia as impressionable young for our sons to succeed. First, it is a spiritual, faith-lled boys and graduated as caring, well educated and condent community. The Ritamen attend weekly mass and are Ritamen! helping the community through service. The newly imple- Top: Frank ‘18 and Marty ’13. mented Caritas project is an assignment with a powerful Middle: Clare, Luke '20, Frank '18 and Bob purpose. Second, the students are challenged with a Bottom: Marty ‘13, Frank ’18, and Luke ‘20 Jaime Banuelos, Class of 2019 Grade School: St. Gall, Chicago Activities at St. Rita: Soccer (team captain), Student Choir, Big Brothers Program, Spanish Club What made you decide to attend St. Rita? What is the greatest lesson you learned while at I had no idea where I wanted to go for high school until I St.