To Know the Truth . . .

As we have mentioned before, St. Francis College Prep has an educational program that is founded in what we refer to as the “STREAM” model – a STEM education (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) based in the Christian faith (Religion) and taught through the humanities (the Arts).

We know the STEM component is vital given our students’ livelihoods and ability to lead will depend on understanding 21^st Century technology, innovation, and rapid change.

In fact, the recent Fortune Magazine boldly proclaims, “Every aspect of your business is about to change … ”; and describes how: innovation is about speed, 3D modeling is critical, listening to machines is necessary, real time dashboards (data) are essential, and other changing aspects.

This underscores why it is important to supply students with this type of knowledge and the opportunities to practice such knowledge in today’s education.

However, St. Francis knows there is a far greater purpose in education than just the livelihood and even leadership of our students. This greater purpose is something that has not changed since the beginning of time and will never change – regardless of the 21^st Century.

Pope John Paul II described this greater purpose perfectly when he wrote, “Faith and reason are like two wings on which the human spirit rises to the contemplation of truth; and God has placed in the human heart a desire to know the truth—in a word, to know himself—so that, by knowing and loving God, men and women may also come to the fullness of truth about themselves.”

You see, the greater purpose in education is to helping students to find the truth about life and about themselves. However, to do so we must teach two very specific aspects: “faith” and “reason”. And, this is why St. Francis’ STREAM model is crucial.

Through teaching religion – “faith” – we provide students with a true measuring stick by which they can measure information and the application of that information, regardless of the century in which it is derived.

Through teaching the arts — humanities – we provide students the opportunity to “reason” through how those before us have measured information and its application rightly or wrongly.

But, more importantly, by teaching a 21^st Century education founded in faith and reason, St. Francis is helping its students to fulfill the God given desire to know the truth.

No pursuit in education can be greater than that.