From St. James to High School - Alumni Features
Each year, St. James students leave our halls equipped to thrive in the next chapter of their academic journey. In fact, 95% of our 8th grade classes are accepted into their first-choice high school, a testament to the strong academic foundation, character development, and faith formation they receive during their time here.
We’re excited to feature some of our recent St. James alumni who started high school this past fall. They shared reflections on their experiences so far, the ways St. James prepared them, and advice for current students.
Riley
Walter Payton College Prep
How would you describe your high school experience so far? What are you enjoying most?
I am loving my high school experience so far! I’m really enjoying the clubs I’m involved in, especially student government and tennis.
Are you involved in any clubs, sports, or leadership roles now that connect back to something you did at St. James?
I’m currently part of my school’s theatre group, Payton Players, and I think that being a part of the operettas at St. James helped me find my love for acting!
Which skills, habits, or ways of thinking from St. James do you still use in high school?
Our 7th grade life skills class really helped me with my time management and organizational skills in high school. My English classes at St. James really improved my writing and grammar, and those skills really help in my classes at Payton.
What’s one memory from St. James that still sticks with you?
I still remember the epic rap battle between Mrs. G and Grinstein!
How would you describe St. James to someone thinking about enrolling?
St. James is a place of real community. The small class sizes really give everyone a chance to shine, grow, and truly connect with peers.
What’s a piece of advice you’d give to a current St. James student?
I’d tell them to treasure every moment, and to get to know their teachers! The teachers at St. James are some of the best and most hilarious people I've met.
How did your faith formation at St. James prepare or influence you for high school?
My faith formation at St James really helped me in my transition to high school. I was really nervous about stepping into a new environment, but knowing that I always had a place at St. James helped me be more confident and open during that transition.
Zach
Latin School of Chicago
How would you describe your high school experience so far? What are you enjoying most?
My high school experience has been great so far. I’ve made many new friends and developed new academic skills. What I am enjoying most is the increased freedom that comes with high school. We are allowed to leave campus during free periods and passing times, which has helped me become more independent. One thing that is different from St James is the extreme workload. St James does a great job of teaching the material and an abundance of in-class work that drills in principles and equations(specifically in math). Latin, however, relies on homework, independent study, and tutors to excel in their classes.
Are you involved in any clubs, sports, or leadership roles now that connect back to something you did at St. James?
I am currently involved in multiple clubs and sports at Latin. These activities include chess, baseball, ping pong, and squash. An example of St. James preparing me for high school was my experience with chess and organized tournaments, thanks to Mrs. Gorcyca. Upon my arrival at the club fair, I went over to the chess table. I started off by playing the captain, who has a respectable rating of 1900, and played him in a 50-move game before drawing in the endgame. Following this, I earned a spot on board two and have a good shot at becoming chess captain this year. Mrs. Gorcyca did a fantastic job teaching students chess, so I would highly recommend stopping by if you are in fifth through eighth grade.
Which skills, habits, or ways of thinking from St. James do you still use in high school?
Mrs. May’s LA class helped improve my writing skills, and I still use her process before writing. Planning and annotating in Mrs. May’s style have helped me reduce the time needed to write (which comes in handy during timed assessments), allowing me to focus less on finding quotes and more on integration, structure, context, and analysis. Mrs. Gorcyca also did a splendid job preparing me for physics, specifically circuits, by giving us a base understanding of how circuits and batteries work, the idea of req, etc. I’m hoping that next year our 7th-grade chemistry unit will help. Her teaching also helped me in a trivia game during assembly, where I was the only freshman to get a question involving triple covalent bonds correctly. St James has done a fantastic job of preparing me socially and academically for high school.
What’s one memory from St. James that still sticks with you?
One memory from St. James that still sticks with me is the class trip to Wall Camp. Wall Camp is a small Christian camp where we do all kinds of fun activities, like archery and kayaking. We stayed in cabins, and the whole experience was fun. One game that stood out was the nighttime capture the flag we played. In the first round, it was random teams, and I remember sneaking around the other teams' woods with Will before seeing a small neon glow stick (the flag) tucked under a wooden stair at the back of their cabin. The trip wasn’t just fun; it was also informative, as we learned how to create small shelters in the woods and had a fire-making and fire safety class. Wall Camp in general was an amazing experience both years I went, and I will remember it forever.
How would you describe St. James to someone thinking about enrolling?
I would describe St. James as a small, tight-knit community. It is a wonderful school academically, and they do a seamless job of instilling Lutheran values while preparing students for high school. Another thing about St James is class size. The small class sizes, especially in the middle school, help form closer bonds and longer-lasting friendships. All of the teachers are exceptional, and the class sizes allow teachers to give each student individual attention.
What’s a piece of advice you’d give to a current St. James student?
One piece of advice I would give to a current St. James student is to take advantage of every opportunity the school offers. Whether it’s playing basketball, volleyball, or participating in clubs, these experiences will prepare you well for high school. You might not have the same opportunities to play on a sports team in high school, especially if you go to a large school like Lane Tech or Lincoln Park. I would also encourage students to challenge themselves academically, as the skills they develop now will make the transition to high school much smoother. Not just challenge themselves academically, but also create strong habits and a work ethic that will make transitioning to the high school workload much easier.
How did your faith formation at St. James prepare or influence you for high school?
My faith formation at St. James helped prepare me for high school by giving me a strong moral foundation and integrity. Through chapel, religion classes, and service opportunities, I learned the importance of integrity, compassion, and respect for others. These values have helped guide my decisions and interactions in high school. This is especially true when attending a secular school that doesn’t promote any specific religion.
Lexi
DePaul College Prep
How would you describe your high school experience so far? What are you enjoying most?
My high school experience has been great so far. I really enjoy my classes, and they’ve been both fun and challenging. One of my favorite parts of high school is being on both the track and cross country teams. I’ve made so many new friends through running, and it’s been an exciting and rewarding sport to be part of. It’s a lot of work, but being on a great team makes it all worthwhile.
Are you involved in any clubs, sports, or leadership roles now that connect back to something you did at St. James?
I am currently on the track and cross country teams, which I also participated in at St. James. Being part of those teams at St. James helped prepare me to do well in high school athletics. I also recently joined a club called RAM Guides, where I help incoming freshmen with time management and adjusting to high school. This connects to my experience as a chapel buddy at St. James, where I learned how important it is to support and guide younger students. I really enjoyed my time with my chapel buddies and am even still a pen pal with one of them!
Which skills, habits, or ways of thinking from St. James do you still use in high school?
The teachers at St. James had a huge impact on how I think and learn. In English, I still use Mrs. May’s “forbidden words” rule to improve my writing. In Biology, many of the topics Mrs. G covered at St. James gave me a strong background and have helped me excel. Mr. DeBor’s math lessons also prepared me well and made the transition to high school math much easier.
What’s one memory from St. James that still sticks with you?
One memory that really sticks with me is the night of the 8th grade speech. When Mrs. G was reading her speech about me, I realized how much I had accomplished during my time at St. James. She mentioned moments from middle school that even I had forgotten, which showed me just how much the teachers truly cared about us as students. That night made me feel proud and supported, and it’s a memory I will always cherish—plus, Mrs. G is the best!
How would you describe St. James to someone thinking about enrolling?
I would describe St. James as a family. The teachers are your mentors, but they also feel like friends. You can laugh and joke with them while still learning so much. I even had a close relationship with the principal, Mrs. Meyer, who is amazing. I made friendships at St. James that I know will last throughout high school and beyond.
What’s a piece of advice you’d give to a current St. James student?
My advice would be to enjoy every moment. When I was there, all I wanted was to be in high school, but now I realize how special my time at St. James was. It’s an amazing place, and I really miss it. Also, make sure to study—especially for Mrs. G’s tests, because they are long!
How did your faith formation at St. James prepare or influence you for high school?
I currently attend DePaul College Prep, a Catholic high school, so my faith formation at St. James has been very helpful, especially in religion class. Even beyond academics, St. James taught me to trust in God and believe that He will provide. That lesson is something I still carry with me today. Thank you, Pastor Hess.
Will
Lincoln Park High School
How would you describe your high school experience so far? What are you enjoying most?
My experience at Lincoln Park High School has been amazing. I’ve met a lot of new people and my teachers have been supportive. I especially enjoy going to varsity football and basketball games and spending time with my new friends.
Are you involved in any clubs, sports, or leadership roles now that connect back to something you did at St. James?
I currently play on the Lincoln Park freshman basketball team, and I played JV football in the fall. St. James helped prepare me to be a competitive athlete while also showing good sportsmanship and being a team player.
Which skills, habits, or ways of thinking from St. James do you still use in high school?
I still use a lot of the study habits I learned at St. James. Making notecards and using all the resources my teachers give me really helps when I’m studying for tests.
What’s one memory from St. James that still sticks with you?
One memory that still sticks with me is debating sports with Mrs. Gorcyca and having great discussions with Mr. DeBoer.
How would you describe St. James to someone thinking about enrolling?
St. James is a welcoming community that supports students both academically and athletically. The school is fun, and the classes are engaging and interesting.
What’s a piece of advice you’d give to a current St. James student?
I would tell current St. James students to use their time wisely in class and really enjoy their time there, because it goes by fast.
How did your faith formation at St. James prepare or influence you for high school?
My faith formation at St. James helped prepare me for high school by reminding me that I can always trust in God, even when things feel challenging.
We are incredibly proud of Riley, Zach, Lexi, and Will, and of all our St. James graduates who are making their mark in high school and beyond. Their experiences reflect the strong academic preparation, supportive community, and faith-centered foundation that define a St. James education. We look forward to continuing to follow their journeys and celebrating the many accomplishments of our alumni in the years to come.
