Shaw students join saintly ‘houses’ to practice virtue

In the summer of 2021, Archbishop Shaw High School leaders came up with the idea of dividing their 600 students into four “Salesian houses” founded on the teachings, morals and values of four saints (or soon-to-be saints). The students are members of their respective houses from eighth grade through senior year.

Salesian Father Steve Ryan, director and head of Archbishop Shaw, said the school has created a unique system to unite students across grade levels into four cohorts guided by the inspiring lives of four extraordinary saints: Blessed Carlo Acutis and Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati (who will both be canonized this year), and St. Francis de Sales and St. Dominic Savio.

House of saints

The students in each “house” aspire to take on the virtues of their saint, he said. Blessed Acutis died at the age of 15 and was noted for his devotion to the Eucharist; St. Dominic Savio was a famous student of St. Don Bosco; St. Francis de Sales was known as the gentleman bishop with a practical spirituality for all and Blessed Frassati was remembered as a young adult of service and social action.

Much like the houses in the Harry Potter books, each household has its own saint, color, banner and traditions, and students take pride in their household and the values they represent.

“The students are placed in their households randomly, through a drawing, and they stick with it for four or five years,” Father Ryan said. “The boys get excited about what house they are going to be placed in. This system allows the older students to mentor the younger ones. The younger students bring new energy to the houses, and a cross-grade connection is formed that turns classmates into brothers.”

Blessed Acutis House prefect Carter Newsham, a Shaw senior, said it was a lot easier to integrate to high school and meet people while in the smaller house groups. He said his classmates pray and compete together and work toward a common goal as a team of brothers.

Role models

“We try to emulate a lot of things our saint stood for, especially with him about to be one of the newer, younger saints,” Newsham said. “He had a presence on the internet. We always try to incorporate technology into our presentations about what we’re doing. We try to encourage those same values that Carlo stood for – purity and self-control – for the younger kids, especially the freshmen, so we can try and make that impression on them early, and one day they'll be able to take the reins.”

Father Ryan said the school’s goal is to help students to be accountable for their behavior, practice their faith and become gentlemen. The house system has gained strength, and now Father Ryan has decided to acquire marble statues for each house “as a visual reminder and to give recognition and support to each of the saints and the houses.”

Statuary reminders

The four marble statues stand 6 feet tall each and are placed in the school’s courtyard as inspiration to everyone who passes by.

Ivan Smith, prefect of the St. Francis de Sales House, said he is following in his brothers’ footsteps.

“It is an honor they voted for me, to trust me, to lead them through the competitions and through everything that we go through,” Smith said. “It just means the world to me. This year we have worked on following the positive characteristics of St. Francis de Sales and building and sharing our faith.”

Father Ryan said St. Dominic Savio, who was a student of St. Don Bosco (founder of the Salesians), was identified first, followed by St. Francis de Sales, because St. Don Bosco named the Salesians after him. 

“The last two we chose have not been canonized yet, Carlos Acutis and Pier Giorgio Frassati, but they have been so influential already with the younger generation and their spirituality had a great effect on their peers,” he said. “I have told the boys that they need to know their saints, learn about them, practice their virtues and emulate them. This is your house now.”

Father Ryan also said the school managed to obtain a relic of Blessed Acutis and Blessed Frassati, which are on display in the chapel. Acutis will be canonized April 27 and Frassati on Aug. 3.

Working as a team

Throughout the year the houses sit together during Mass, compete at pep rallies and various school gatherings for bragging rights and to earn house points. Points are also earned through doing service activities, fundraisers and school contests. At the end of the year a victor will be crowned, and a house will be awarded the “Golden Eagle” and the winning house banner will be raised.

“The students like the household system,” Father Ryan said. “They respond to it because of the prefects and the intermingling of the grade levels. We believe that education is more than just academics. It’s about forming character, fostering community and inspiring a sense of belonging.

“We want our school to be strongly Catholic and strongly Salesian. The household system is a key component in our pastoral and educational community. The traditional Shaw virtues of character, leadership, scholarship and service, are striven for with renewed vigor. The example of the saints is becoming more meaningful and we pray it encourages more future saints. After all, we live in the city of the saints.” 

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