Freshman Experience
Antonio Talotta: Checking Out the Prep
Choosing St. Augustine Prep was one of the hardest decisions I have ever had to make. When I chose to come to the Prep I was at a crossroads in my life. I had just been accepted, with scholarships, to two amazing schools: St. Augustine Prep, and St. Joe’s Prep. Ever since I started thinking about high schools (which was in sixth grade, believe it or not), St. Joe’s was the obvious choice for me. Both my father and uncle had attended and met at St. Joe’s, so if it was not for that school I would not be here. At the time I thought nothing could change my decision to go there. I know what you are thinking… “What could have possibly stopped you from going to the ‘other’ Prep?” The decision was not instantaneous like some stories I have heard, but it did all start with my mom suggesting we just “check it out.”
I can honestly say now that just “checking it out” was one of the best decisions I ever made. Attending the first Open House really opened my eyes to see what St. Augustine had to offer. A stunning campus is something I would not get in a city setting, and walking around it on breaks and during lunch is something I loved immediately. While I love the campus, it is not what really sold me on the Prep. As I came back to the Prep time and time again, whether it was to shadow or attend camps, I was really able to grasp the tradition and sense of unity that goes along with the brotherhood. Unique aspects of the school like the Richland Rowdies and the Brotherhood Ceremony confirmed what I had been told for so long: that my fellow students are not just my peers, they are my brothers. The brotherhood is what really made me choose St. Augustine, and I hope that my little brother gets to experience the same feeling when he comes of age.