December 2024 - Spencer Shively, VP for Mission and Student Life

Dear De La Salle Families,

As we swiftly approach the end of the semester, with final projects and semester exams on the horizon, I am reminded of a guiding principle that has become a cornerstone of our educational approach: beginning with the end in mind. In the classroom, this principle is embodied through backward planning, where we start with the desired learning outcomes and then craft aligned instruction so that they are achieved. In our co-curricular programming, it means directing all activities towards our Lasallian mission to ensure that our athletics, campus ministry, and student activities work in harmony to create a vibrant, Lasallian Catholic culture that supports our overarching mission of educating young men in an atmosphere that is "moral, caring, and joyful." Holistically, we apply this mindset to our students’ entire journey at De La Salle, always keeping the end in mind  - which is to prepare them to graduate as men of faith, integrity, and scholarship.

It’s no surprise that we continue to make great strides toward this holistic goal. This semester has been one with many accomplishments, both in the classroom and across our athletic and co-curricular programs. Just yesterday, on a sunny yet chilly morning, I witnessed this progress during our final MMM Wednesday (Music, Ministry, and Munchies) prayer service at the cross in the Inner Court. This monthly gathering, hosted by Campus Ministry, invites our community to come together in prayer and always concludes with donuts. Yesterday’s theme, fittingly, was Advent. As our Lasallian Leadership students unfurled the banners representing the weekly Advent themes of hope, joy, love, and peace, they also explained the meaning of each week and the connection to Christmas. Sounds like backward planning to me.

Just as we begin each school year with the end in mind, we enter Advent with the end of the season - Christmas - at the forefront of our minds. Yet, just as the physics lessons must be mastered to make the final boat project float; a deep self-reflection is necessary before a senior can deliver a poignant Kairos talk; and the hours of conditioning and practice that must be invested for a successful cross country, water polo, or football season; so too must we engage in the weekly advent themes in order to properly prepare and ready our hearts for Christmas. 

As we continue through this beautiful season of Advent, let us embrace hope, celebrate joy, bring peace, and spread love in all that we do. By doing so, we prepare ourselves for the end of Advent and the ultimate beginning - the birth of Christ. This season serves as a powerful reminder for all of us to begin with the end in mind and embrace the journey, for the end of the season is the start of something new and wondrous.

Live Jesus in our hearts.

Spencer Shively
Vice President for Mission and Student Life