Talent and a Heart for Service Revealed

Strake Jesuit prides itself on its brotherhood, and the foundations of that lifelong brotherhood are laid in its robust Freshman Crusader Crew orientation program. But what happens when a student comes to us later on in his career? How does he find his way at Jesuit without the support structure? Will he not feel lost and overwhelmed? 

To answer these questions, it’s worth looking at the case of senior Jose Gomez. 

José is not the loudest of extroverts. He flies under the radar somewhat. But if you stop and listen to him a bit, you’ll get to know someone with special gifts and with a unique perspective on the world. 

José came to us relatively late in the game, as a Junior namely. He had previously lived in Virginia and North Carolina. What made his transition to life at Jesuit even more challenging was the pandemic. His first experiences at Jesuit did not involve scavenger hunts at Crusader Crew orientation but Zooming with teachers. When he did return to campus, Covid-19 protocols meant that everyone had a mask on in class and had plexiglass around their desks. Club meetings and extracurricular activities, so vital to making friends and building relationships, were initially conducted virtually as well. 

But recognizing the many opportunities for involvement and community at Strake Jesuit, José found his niche at our school and began to know himself and his talents. As he puts it, “it wasn't easy transferring during the Covid lockdown last year, but all throughout last year (and even this year) I've learned so much about myself and what I am capable of.”

Jose displays his unique creative talents in the arts. He has become one of the leaders of Inkwell creative writing club, leading productive writing workshops, collaborating to feature student artwork, and serving on the editorial team of the student literary publication, Inkwell Magazine. In his role as co-president of Inkwell creative writing club, Jose has worked hard to promote submissions among other students. For José, “it’s fun and exciting to explore different media of self-expression.” 

In addition to writing poetry for Inkwell Magazine, José is an accomplished and successful jazz pianist. For Mr. Jorge Roque, S.J., Jose’s English teacher this year, José comes into his own during performance: “He is a very talented Jazz pianist with a lot of charisma, most evident when he performs.” 

Among the formative influences at Jesuit, José is quick to note the contributions of theology teacher Mr. Linden and chemistry teacher Dr. Sarah Rayder: “Mr. Reid Linden really inspired me to view the Catholic theology in a new light.  Dr. Rayder inspired me to put in the work and put in the hours into AP Chem because, dang, that class is super hard.” 

José has become a valued member of the SJ community, and when he thinks about his own development and formation as a Man for Others, he notes that he “began realizing that being a Man for Others meant acting it out in simple ways throughout the day” and that this mindset influenced his daily actions “in big ways and small ways.” 

Ms. Veazey, a member of the Counseling team at SJ who has also had the good fortune of getting to know José, praises him as “sincere, smart, generous, polite, and incredibly kind.” She is “so grateful that he’s part of our community.”