{"id":19571,"date":"2019-12-20T08:00:17","date_gmt":"2019-12-20T08:00:17","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/thebeehive.molloyhs.org\/?p=19571"},"modified":"2020-06-24T16:30:41","modified_gmt":"2020-06-24T16:30:41","slug":"the-beehive-12-19-19","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/thebeehive.molloyhs.org\/?p=19571","title":{"rendered":"The Beehive – 12\/20\/19"},"content":{"rendered":"

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The Fund For Molloy \u2013 Retreats & Encounters<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n

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In our last Beehive<\/a>, we shared a story about Curriculum Innovation and how your gifts to The Fund For Molloy impact our ability to emphasize excellence in academics and present our students with endless opportunities. In this week’s Beehive, our focus is on Retreats and Encounters. Your gifts to The Fund For Molloy help minimize the financial burdens or extraordinary circumstances experienced by our students and their families that might otherwise hinder their ability to participate in these important programs. Below are thoughts from Daniel Ramirez-Mendez ’20<\/strong>, a Molloy senior who has taken full advantage of the retreat and encounter programs at the Marist Brothers’ Center at Esopus.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>“Molloy wasn\u2019t really my first option when I was in eighth grade, but it turned out to be the most affordable. So I wasn\u2019t sure what to expect when I got here. I remember the weekend of my birthday in freshman year Molloy was having a retreat at Esopus. My friends said they were going and that I should go. When I made it to Esopus I thought ‘This place is kinda cool. It has a family vibe.’ I went back a second time that spring and that\u2019s when I began to meet some of my best friends. I wasn’t able to go back in sophomore year due to some personal reasons, but I vowed to return in junior year. When I made it back to Esopus, that was when some of the personal things I was dealing with were coming to a close, and going to Esopus helped me get closure as well. There\u2019s always people fighting silent battles, and at Esopus whatever you say stays there. There’s a support system that you and your peers have. Everyone has their own struggles, but you\u2019re not alone even when you think you might be.”<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>“After my positive retreat experiences, I thought about how I could keep getting involved with Esopus while helping other kids understand that they\u2019re never alone or abandoned. So I entered the world of Campus Ministry and started going to different events. I attended the next junior retreat and then applied to be a Campus Ministry Leader (CML). We went to a Marist Youth Encounter and that event reiterated everything from the junior retreats and more. It showed all of us once again that we\u2019re not alone. I realized that someone might put on a face saying everything is ok until they really do need the help. Through the Marist Youth Encounter and all the retreats I went to, the idea was put into my mind that you always need to help somebody no matter what, because in the end it\u2019s not going to hurt them. From that point on I knew I had to keep the momentum going.”<\/p>\n

“I applied to work Freshman Camp as a CML. At camp I met some younger students that were eventually going to go through the same stuff as me, but I could be the one that helps and supports them. Being an upperclassmen I\u2019m in that position. After that I went in full force. I led the November junior retreat and did a group talk. One of the kids in my group came to me after the talk to say, \u201cHey Dan, I know we just met, but what you said really inspired me because I went through the same thing.\u201d I was once that kid looking for help and now I was the one helping someone like that. It was like things came full circle. I made a difference for that kid even if for only a split second, just like someone made a difference for me when I was a freshman.”<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>“I also worked kitchen crew for the Senior Encounter in December. I saw the affect the Encounter had on my classmates. I know a lot of people needed it. Whether they had relationship problems or stress, or something in life they weren’t happy about, the Encounter pushed the idea that there\u2019s never a reason to put yourself down. You have to pick yourself back up, but you have to remember that there are people who will help. You just can\u2019t be afraid to look around and say you need help. Your friends care. That\u2019s what makes a good friendship, and that’s what everyone learns at Esopus through the retreats and encounters.”<\/p>\n

“My personal philosophy is I don\u2019t do something unless it doesn\u2019t make me or someone else happy. I hope the things I’ve done, especially at Esopus, have helped make a difference for others. And I hope those kids will continue that and inspire others to go on retreats and encounters. The power of the retreats and encounters is that we bring what we learned back to Queens. Once you come back to school, it\u2019s easier to open up about a lot of things. You always want that Esopus high to keep going.” \u2014 Daniel Ramirez-Mendez ’20<\/strong><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

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Five Student-Athletes Sign National Letter of Intent<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n

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Molloy recently celebrated five outstanding student-athletes who signed national letters of intent to play their sport at college next fall. Congratulations to Kelsey Carr \u201920<\/strong> (Softball, Seton Hall University), Danielle Malench \u201920<\/strong> (Soccer, Molloy College), Christopher Mazza \u201920<\/strong> (Baseball, Quinnipiac University), Peter Meehan \u201920<\/strong> (Track & Field, University at Albany), and Natalia Piotrowski \u201920 <\/strong>(Soccer, Molloy College). For additional coverage on Danielle and Natalia, check out this great article from The Tablet: Molloy Stanner Soccer Teammates To Reunite In College<\/a><\/p>\n\n\t\t