Getting to Know: Anthony DeRita '14

In today's post, Mr. Turner '00 chats with Anthony DeRita '14 (Blackwood, NJ) about his time at the Prep and what lies ahead.

As a talented eighth-grader from Blackwood, NJ, Anthony DeRita '14 had some options before saying yes to St. Joe's Prep. It came down to one thing for him: diversity. And as Anthony, a National Merit Scholarship Finalist, completes his last semester at 17th & Girard, the Prep's blended community is still his favorite thing about the place.

Anthony DeRita '14

Why the Prep?

The Prep is so different from where I come from. When I interviewed with Mr. McCloskey for my Ignatian scholarship, he asked me a similar question and I said diversity. So I'll stick with that answer. I come from South Jersey and I love the area, but I just wanted something different.

What do you want your Prep teachers to know, now that you're almost done?

I am so grateful. I would say, "Thank you for everything you've done" and that I'll be back soon to say it again.

What do you enjoy most about the Prep's faculty?

That's tough because I can only pick one thing - but I truly enjoy the faculty-student relationships. For example, Mr. Fitzpatrick's (Physics) availability and dedication are remarkable. I can show up before school, during a free period, or after school and find him offering extra help in the lab. Mrs. Primick's (Classics) willingness to incorporate creative projects into a strict AP Latin curriculum is also inspiring. I even wrote a college essay (ahem, Harvard) about it.

Have you applied to other colleges?

Uh, yeah. Harvard, Yale, Brown, and Stanford are the so-called top-tier schools I've applied to. I've also received full scholarship offers from Northeastern, Temple, and Fordham. I'm still waiting to hear from a few others.

When you're not applying to the nation's top institutions of higher learning, how do you spend your time?

I'm president of the Forensics Team (speech and debate), I'm involved in Cape & Sword (drama), I'm a student officer for Breaking Barriers (club advocating inclusion and tolerance), a co-editor for the Hawkeye (student newspaper), and I'm on the Mission and Ministry Board (student retreat leaders/organizers). I'm surprised, however, by how much free time I have. I hang out with friends, go to the mall, and some days I just sit around and watch TV. My three main shows right now are: Orange is the New Black, House of Cards, and American Horror Story. I'm a big cinephile, too.

Any plans for the summer?

For the fourth summer now, I'll be working at Morey's Pier in Wildwood, NJ. I love that job so much. I meet so many young people from around the world - mainly East Asians and Eastern Europeans.

Finally, why should a family consider St. Joe's Prep?

It's not just a school, it's a community. It's easy to market the statistics - how many AP's we offer, what our average SAT scores are, and so on. It's a little harder to articulate the brotherhood that exists here until you experience it. But it's here, for sure.

This blog post was written by Mr. Ed Turner '00, Director of Admission.

Image credit: PowerSchool 

What's On Your Agenda?

In today's post, Mr. Turner '00 relates the 2014 State of the Union (SOTU) address to your final grade school semester.

"An informed citizenry is the bulwark of a democracy." - Thomas Jefferson

If the past two covers of the Sunday edition of The New York Times, displaying potential GOP presidential candidates for 2016, are any indication, then it's safe to say that our sitting president doesn't have too much time left - at least in the eyes of the media. And although his successor won't take the oath of office until January 2017, President Obama has a narrow window of time to accomplish the several tasks on his and his party's agenda. I'm no political analyst, but perhaps a dimmed media spotlight and a ticking clock will permit him and his administration to tackle their to-do list more aggressively.

So I ask all you second semester eighth graders out there, what's on your agenda? Now that your high school admission journey is almost complete, and your time in grade school nears its end, where and how can you still make your mark?

Some of our government teachers have asked their students to watch and react to this year's address and the opposition's rebuttal. I encourage you all, if you have the time and interest, to watch this year's address - it'll be good practice for a budding St. Joe's Prep scholar. And I challenge you to make the most of your remaining time in eighth grade.

This blog post was written by Mr. Ed Turner '00, Director of Admission.

Image credit: whitehouse.gov

Greetings from 17th & Girard!

Thank you!

If you're reading this blog, then thank you. Your interest in the Prep - whether you're an alumnus like me ('00), a current parent, or a curious 8th grader - is appreciated, and I'm thrilled that you landed here.

My name is Ed Turner, admission director at St. Joseph's Prep.  The topic for the Prep admission office's first blog post is simple: gratitude.

Gratitude

Take a look at the following pictures:

Danny Turner '09

Chris Donnelly, John Gallagher, Ed Turner, Matt McNamee
Class of 2000

The first picture is of my brother, Danny '09, on his graduation day. The next one is of four members (including me) of the Class of 2000. My hope is that these pictures show you many things: joy, brotherhood, accomplishment, excitement, and promise. But above all, I hope that they illustrate a profound sense of gratitude. We Prep guys are thankful - each day - for the education we received at 17th & Girard, and we can't think of a better place to spend your high school years.