The University of Detroit Jesuit High School and Academy holds many core values that make the school experience here entirely unique. One that is recognized widely by those who have interacted with this school and its students is the way that our young men act. Having two older brothers that attended the school before I did, I was aware of this value. What I was not aware of was how quickly the school would completely change the way I look at the world and how I act in it.

Going into my freshmen year of high school, I knew virtually no one. My graduating middle school class only had twelve students, so I did not have the advantage that many freshmen had of having an established group of friends in our class when the school year started. Because of this, I spent the majority of my time freshman year hanging out with my older brother and his junior friends. As much fun as this was, by the time the school day rolled around, I really didn’t have anyone to interact with in my classes, which made them fairly unenjoyable. However, I found one of my first and longest friends at UDJ somewhere unexpected. Mrs. Godwin was my Spanish 1 teacher freshman year, and before I knew her any better, that’s all she was to me. She was always kind and easygoing, but as a relatively quiet freshman, we didn’t interact much. We were in a unique situation because she was teaching my brother and I, both for the first time, as he was in her Spanish 3 class. He was significantly more outgoing than I was and as he became amicable with her, I started to do the same. At the same time, my brother and his friends were very close with their Journalism teacher, Mrs. Cooper. Mrs. Cooper and Mrs. Godwin are directly across from each other in the L-wing, and like their room location, the two are extremely close. By the end of the school day, I found myself looking for my brother and his friends and finding them hanging out in Mrs. Cooper’s room. I found them there so often that it became a routine for me to go there after school. This routine became a highlight of my day, because between all of us, Mrs. Godwin, Mrs. Cooper, my brother and his friends, and I, we would recap the day and share laughs. We would stay in those rooms so long after school that we ended up leaving the school at the same time that the teachers did. This is where our tradition started. Our whole group would walk out to the parking lot together, and I got to witness how my brother and his friends held the doors for Mrs. Godwin and Mrs. Cooper, so when I was the first one through the doors, I would do the same. When my brother and his friends graduated, I continued this tradition. This tradition is four years running, and my little freshman self couldn’t have imagined how much it would change the way I looked at the world or how it would instill in me a core value that’s held dear to this school, manners.

I was fortunate enough to witness simple acts of kindness firsthand because of my brother, and because of this I saw how easy it was to put into action the values that are preached to us at this school. Throughout my years at U of D, walking Mrs. Cooper and Mrs. Godwin, I also saw how important manners are. Mrs. Godwin believes, “manners are… incredibly important, it’s one of the top three things we should be teaching students, not just manners but respect and being considerate of those around you.” Manners aren’t only important at U of D, they’re intrinsic to what the school is. U of D not only prepares you above and beyond for life after high school academically, but it gives U of D students an edge over other high school students by pushing the importance of manners that will help them succeed in life. However, manners are more than just holding doors open. Manners are about being considerate to everyone around you, no matter how you feel or what you are doing. Being able to put others above yourself is a rare quality nowadays, but it’s so incredibly important. If everyone put other’s needs above their own, then the world would be a better place. So, as students at U of D, we must uphold the expectations that are set for us. We must work our hardest to make the world a better place. I hope any student that reads this tries their hardest to be actively considerate to those around them, to show the manners that they are taught, and represent the core value of U of D in all their actions by being men for others. I also ask any underclassmen that read this, please stop by Mrs. Godwin and Mrs. Cooper’s classrooms next year, and when you can, walk them out. Viktor Sagan, U of D senior, said this after joining our tradition earlier this year, “it’s pretty cool to see how much it means to them, and how much they miss it when we don’t walk them out”. This tradition has helped me realize the importance of manners, being considerate, and doing small acts of kindness, and I believe it will do the same to anyone who participates.