Senior Reflection Project

Don Bosco had a comprehensive concept of education. It entailed helping the young person develop and grow as a human being and a Christian so that he could find his proper place in society. He stated clearly, “Education is a matter of the heart, of which the Lord is the master.”  What sets Salesian education apart from other education systems is the fact that relationships are of prime importance in the Salesian educational process.

As Salesian educators, we show our love for the young in two ways: the Preventive System (relationships, the way we relate to young people) and the Oratory Model (experiences, those that we create for the young people). The Oratory Model is based on the experiences of the Home, School, Church, and Playground. In everything, Don Bosco sought to make these elements alive.

Relationship creates the experience; experience is sustained by the relationship.

In the spring, to complete the final stage of a student’s journey, each senior presents a formal and final reflection of their experience at SJN. The framework for this personal, individual, unique reflection is the four elements of the Oratory Model: Home, School, Church, and Playground. Before a panel of three teachers and staff members, each senior articulates their experiences in relation to each of these elements and presents examples of their growth resulting from these experiences.

These fifteen to twenty-minute presentations are delivered in various formats, including written materials, photos of activities, artwork, musical performances, journal entries, etc. Final projects are presented in binder form, PowerPoint presentation, video, artifacts, etc. Seniors are encouraged to use their creativity in developing the format for making their presentations. Twenty minutes is available for discussion and questions with the faculty and staff members. 

For a school that believes so highly in relationships and experiences, it is a fitting culmination to a student’s education at Saint John Neumann Catholic High School.