09 - Looking Back & Moving On

In this episode of Rooted & Rising, Andrew McDonald sits down with a group of graduating seniors to reflect on their journey through Billings Catholic Schools as they prepare to take their next steps.

The conversation looks back on growth, academic, personal, and spiritual, and forward to what lies ahead. Students share moments that shaped them, lessons learned beyond the classroom, and the role faith, community, and relationships played in their formation. They also reflect on what it means to feel prepared: not just for college or careers, but for life beyond high school.

This episode offers an honest, hopeful glimpse into who these students are becoming and serves as a reminder of the lasting impact of a Catholic education rooted in purpose and relationship.

Transcript

SPEAKER_02 0:04

Welcome to Rooted in Rising, a short podcast where we highlight the people, programs, and moments that make Billings Catholic schools special. Each episode, we'll spend just a few minutes sharing one story from across our system. Something worth noticing, worth celebrating, and worth building on. I'm Andrew McDonald, and I'm glad you're here. You guys get with that? Yeah. Fantastic. So we're gonna start really simple. Um, each of you just share your name and what you're most excited about right now as graduation approaches.

unknown 0:36

Okay.

SPEAKER_01 0:36

Do you want to go first? Yeah. My name's Samantha Winchell, and about graduating, I'm most excited about just like the last weeks with my class and senior retreat for sure.

SPEAKER_00 0:48

And my name is Samantha Deitch, and the thing that I'm most excited for is definitely senior retreat and also Ram Jam and all the fun things that come with graduation.

SPEAKER_02 0:57

For sure. I mean, you guys have a lot coming up, and it's not it's not a quiet next month for you.

SPEAKER_00 1:03

No, not at all.

SPEAKER_02 1:04

So, okay, another kind of easy softball question, that maybe a little bit harder. You're gonna have to think a little bit. Fair enough.

SPEAKER_01 1:10

Okay.

SPEAKER_02 1:11

All right. When you think about your time here, what's one word that describes the overall experience?

SPEAKER_00 1:17

I have to think. Family honestly, like faith, like just having faith in school and in like the school system. And like I didn't grow up in the school system, so like coming to a new school and for the first time was really scary, but I knew that I would enjoy it, and I really have, like, over my time at Central and St. Francis.

SPEAKER_02 1:39

Yeah, so you said you didn't grow up in the system. When did you when did you join?

SPEAKER_00 1:42

I transferred in seventh grade. It was when you guys went back to doing kind of in-person schooling, and public schools were still online, and I was definitely suffering a little bit because of that. And my parents thought it would just be best for me to be around a faith-based environment more because we're a Catholic family. And like when they went into tour it, they really loved it. And ever since then, I've just been like kind of connected with the school a lot. I definitely actually really like it here.

SPEAKER_02 2:08

Yeah. And what about for you? How long have you been a part of the system?

SPEAKER_01 2:10

Since preschool, and like it's a generational thing. Like my dad went since like preschool, then my mom came in high school, and all of his siblings and cousins and grandparents have been.

SPEAKER_02 2:22

So you're just carrying on the legacy.

SPEAKER_01 2:24

Yeah, pretty much.

SPEAKER_02 2:25

How has that been for you?

SPEAKER_01 2:27

It's a lot of fun. I mean, I don't really know any different, so I don't have like much to compare it to, but I think it's definitely benefited me and like I can appreciate it now getting older, being around my family, and just I feel like everyone's kind of my siblings sometimes, like the ones I've known since like preschool. So I think that's just really fun. And yeah.

SPEAKER_02 2:49

Yeah, you guys are gonna have a dramatically different answer to this next question. Because I'm gonna ask you how have you changed from your first year here to now? So for you, you're answering from preschool. How have you changed since preschool?

SPEAKER_01 3:04

Oh, a lot, hopefully. I don't even know. That's like hard, I think. Like growing up in the Catholic school system, like I have a lot of faith and like I just understand like the church more and I can base like my life around that rather than separating like my school life, church life, and family life.

SPEAKER_02 3:30

Yeah. How about for you, Smith?

SPEAKER_00 3:31

And I think for me, it definitely put me on the right path in life, especially like with public schools. You kind of like fall into a number, but here it's definitely like people are here to support you and things like that. And I've gotten used to faith being a part of my daily life and not just something that I experience on Sundays, but something I just experience every day at school. And I think it's widened my understanding of my faith as a Catholic, but it's also made me like a better person.

SPEAKER_02 3:57

Yeah. Is there can you guys think back to a moment where you really realized that you had grown either academically or spiritually over the course of your time here? Is there one that like stands out?

SPEAKER_01 4:08

For me, it was my junior year after doing search, which That's such a wild experience. Yeah, and I remember like see all of the talks and everything, and you just kind of realize that the world is so much bigger than like you, and like God made you perfectly for him. And I think being with like that small group, you just get so much closer and you like learn so much about everyone. So definitely that for sure.

SPEAKER_00 4:38

And I think mine would be looking like being a senior now, looking back on my freshman year, and like definitely this year has put a lot of perspective into me on how much I've changed and how much I've grown from what I've used to be, and almost how much happier I am now that I've like come to accept myself. And that's something that going to Catholic school really helped me with, and just like becoming closer to God and realizing that like I don't need to change a lot of things about myself and that I can love myself like who for who I am. And I think like looking back and being a freshman, I was definitely a lot more timid and not really outspoken compared to now. Like I'm on a podcast now.

SPEAKER_01 5:14

Yeah, I definitely agree. Freshman year is like hard for everyone.

SPEAKER_02 5:19

It's a weird year, yeah.

SPEAKER_01 5:20

Yeah, and you're just like so scared. So I think Central is like a very good place to realize how you've changed because there's like a lot of open discussion around that and like faith, yeah, for sure.

SPEAKER_02 5:34

Yeah, how would you describe what you've learned here? And you guys have kind of touched on this already a little bit, but how would you describe what you've learned here beyond test scores or or academic content?

SPEAKER_01 5:44

That's like I don't know, like what we've learned without just like academics. I think just how to be a friend because I feel like from my like from other people I know that gone to public school, like they don't know everyone, and that's just so like weird to me. Like everything's so personal here, which has its like ups and downs, but I can talk about that a little bit more.

SPEAKER_02 6:09

What do you mean? Like I mean, you've been here since preschool. So there's a core group of you that have been together for like 17 years at this point.

SPEAKER_01 6:18

Like I don't even know, it's just that's so hard to get out of here. Like they know everything about the good, the bad, and everything in between. Yeah, and it's like it's hard, but you kind of have to realize that that's just how it is, and you have to appreciate it for what it is. Like, yeah, I know a lot about everyone, and it's hard to like fall behind, but I think that's also a good thing because people hold you accountable and like you have more like faith in yourself that like if you go through a hard time, someone will be there to pick you up, and yeah, you just know everything. It's I don't it's so I mean that's a really beautiful answer though, right?

SPEAKER_02 7:00

Like, I've learned how to be a friend. Like what an awesome thing. If if the rest of the world kind of knew that, right? Like, I would I believe it we'd be in a much different place, it'd be much happier. Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 7:13

And I definitely think like going off of that, like something that I've learned being in the school system is like how to build actual relationships. Cause like when I see my teachers, not only do I respect them as adults, but I respect them as people that have like they have real lives, they have kids at home. Like, and I definitely have built like personal relationships with my teachers throughout the years, and I think that's really important too, because I think everybody learns at different paces and they learn in different ways. And like sometimes it's nice just to have somebody to confide in. And I feel like here, like life is real, and like you don't have to feel like you're performing every day because like you're able to talk about the things that you might be going through. And like Father John is here, teachers are willing to help. Like, it's definitely a closer-knit community, and I think that's a big thing for us to learn while we're growing up is like making sure you're staying in community because it's good for you.

SPEAKER_02 7:59

Yeah, I mean, that's that's the whole point. Like, we were created for community with each other, right? Even the word disciple, right? That word has connotations of you you can't do that alone. Like you have to do it with people. So as you guys prepare to graduate and you look at what's next, what what makes you feel most prepared for what comes after this?

SPEAKER_01 8:19

Like what we learned at Central that's like, yeah, just anything.

SPEAKER_02 8:22

What what do you what do you feel prepared to take on as a result of being here and going through all this?

SPEAKER_01 8:28

I feel very prepared, like getting a job and obviously like out of college more, but I feel like I can talk to adults better than some other people.

SPEAKER_02 8:40

I mean, you guys are doing a fantastic job right now.

SPEAKER_01 8:44

And I'm not like afraid of teachers or like that kind of thing. And I think it's easier to reach out to people when you've grown up like around so many people you know, like it's just easier to make friends.

SPEAKER_00 9:00

Yeah, and I think it prepared me for not only college, but what I want to do after college. Like, it's really opened my eyes to like how like going to a Catholic school can affect like your life, and like I want to be able to grow up and get my job and be able to like send my kids to Catholic school and have them grow up in the same community that I did, and also like being able to have like you don't have to pick and choose between faith and like your daily life and that they can integrate with each other. And it's just a very normal thing that's like been my norm for the past six years, and so I'm excited to like move forward and be able to carry that through for the rest of my life.

SPEAKER_02 9:34

Yeah, so you guys have talked about plans and kind of what's coming next, but but what is the plan? Where are you guys headed next? What is what's going on next?

SPEAKER_01 9:41

We're gonna be rivals, so I'm going to Montana State University in Bozeman, and I'm planning on studying kinesiology, which is exercise science, and hopes to become an occupational therapist.

SPEAKER_00 9:53

And I'm going to the University of Montana, and I plan on majoring in either psychology or social work and getting a minor in political science and hopes to be a child psychiatrist or a social worker. And with my political science degree, I want to be able to become some kind of politician or do something with that because I am very passionate about how politics and faith can go together.

SPEAKER_02 10:16

Yeah, I mean, I've seen that come out over the course of this year in Mr. Fairbanks' class with you. Like, tell me a little bit about your experience in that class.

SPEAKER_00 10:23

So dual credit government is my favorite class because I am a very outspoken person. I am very I'm just very firm in my beliefs. And like, I feel like, especially going to central, I'm very educated on a lot of real world things. And so being in that class has opened my eyes to like the kinds of struggles that a lot of people have to deal with, and it's made me very passionate about like kind of how God told us to like serve others and that like he used to wash other people's feet, kind of taking that into my life, and like even if something doesn't affect me, knowing that it's still a problem for someone else, and if I can do something to help that, I want to. And it's just been a really good experience because I know politics can be like a boring conversation topic or nobody really wants to talk about it, but he is a very good teacher at making it fun and engaging while also having it not turn into an argument, but having everybody be able to explain their beliefs.

SPEAKER_02 11:14

Yeah, yeah. And what about you? What what's uh what's a class that like really stood stood out for you?

SPEAKER_01 11:20

Definitely business. Yeah. So my junior year I took regular business with Mr. Osbourne, and now I'm in the pub.

SPEAKER_02 11:28

And it was just Okay, you got to explain that. Oh, yeah. We have people that don't know.

SPEAKER_01 11:33

So your junior year, you I'm I think it's required now to take business, and you just learn like everything from like marketing to interviews, stuff like that. And then at Central we have the pub, which is it's every time I explain it to people that don't know, it's like their mind is blown. But it's a breakfast diner that the students run, but you like have to be in business junior, and then he's like, So if anyone's interested to be in the pub next year, and we run it like a business. We have like accountants, we make really good donuts, and it's like a little restaurant inside the school. Yeah. So like before school, kids can get breakfast. And I think it has really prepared me for the real world. Like I have a job too, but it's just less stressful, but I still feel like I'm getting prepared for something. Like in a junior year, Mr. Osborne's very good at like challenging your beliefs and like teaching you how to explain why you think how you do. And I think that was very it's a very like rewarding and also hard class, but you learn like what you need in the real world. Like now I know how to like balance a checkbook, yeah, is definitely needed.

SPEAKER_02 12:49

Pretty key. Yeah, those skills that a lot of times you don't have people to teach you. Yeah. Yep. All right. So you kind of have already done this, but if you got you get one minute right to shout out uh a person, a coach, a staff member, or a peer that really made a difference in your journey. Like who are you who are you shouting out?

SPEAKER_00 13:10

Honestly, Mr. Fairbanks and Mr. Derrick, I've always had like a fascination with politics. And I always used to think that like my opinion kind of didn't matter because I wasn't old enough to understand. And like being able to be in their classes and talk to them, like they have like they changed the trajectory of my major. Like, I'm going into political sciences now, which I never thought that I would do because I never really had the courage to do anything like that. And so they kind of shaped my life and also in the ways that they're like real people, and Mr. Fairbanks and his family have been like so special to me. Like Ella Fairbanks, she was like one of my first friends when I came to Central, and they've just been so giving, and their family always has been. And so he's taught me a lot about like working hard and also like educating myself and being able to speak my mind and knowing that that's okay.

SPEAKER_02 13:58

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 13:59

For me, I'd like I'd also like to shout out Mr. Fairbanks, he's been a very influential teacher in my life, and I've known him my whole life. I've been friends with Ella as well. And his class is just like the best. Everyone that takes it enjoys it, I think. And I just feel like very cared for and like heard in his classes, and also Mr. Haubaker I is another person who just makes me feel very like loved and appreciated because high school is. Just an incredible person, yeah. Every morning he says good morning to everybody, yeah. And I just feel very like seen by them and like I could talk to them about anything.

SPEAKER_02 14:40

So Catholic school is not cheap, right? And so it it oftentimes takes a sacrifice from a family to send a child to Catholic school. So what would you say to your parents or to other parents now that you're almost out?

SPEAKER_00 14:58

My parents, I like want to thank them because when I first got told that I was going to private school, I was not excited at all to go to Catholic school. I had a completely different outlook on it. And I think it's easy to have like kind of stereotypes, but my parents made the sacrifice, and I honestly couldn't be like more grateful. And I know it's been hard, but they told me they were like, once you graduate, like you'll understand why we did what we did. And like I think it was better for me, and I think it did change like the trajectory of where my life was going and what I would have been able to do if I didn't go to Catholic school. And so I'm just really grateful that they were able to give you that sacrifice because I know not everybody can, and I want to be able to use what I've learned here like for the better.

SPEAKER_01 15:41

I'm also very appreciative of my parents and like being in middle school and high school, there's a lot of ups and downs. Like, I don't want to go here. I like I think that happens to everyone, even at public schools. And it's very like it was very important that they were like, No, you are going to Central, and I didn't really have a choice, which looking like back then I was very upset about, but now I'm very happy that like this has been my life because it's like obviously I have a lot of history, and it's just so special to be around people that know you and have your best interest in mind and growing like being in a school where you can express your faith.

SPEAKER_02 16:27

Yeah. We talk a lot about legacy, right? Like this is this is a school that's been around for a long time. So there's a huge history, there's a huge tradition, there's a huge legacy with this school. And as you guys prepare to leave these walls, right? Like you are a part of that legacy. So when you think about your own legacy here, what do you hope you have done or how do you hope that you will be remembered within these walls?

SPEAKER_00 16:53

I hope that I'm like remembered as a kind person and someone that like even underclassmen could like talk to. And especially like being in dual credit government when we had like our mock trial election, a lot of people were not happy with that. But I hope that I showed other like freshmen girls and things like that that their voice does matter. And I hope to leave a legacy of like being able to have carry my faith through the rest of my life, and I hope to one day like bring my kids back and like keep my own family legacy going here.

SPEAKER_01 17:26

I was also gonna say I hope I'm being remembered as kind because I think that's it's honestly the easiest thing to do, and it it hasn't been like obviously like my family has sacrificed a lot for me to go here, even if it doesn't seem like that, and like I just hope people like know that even if it looks perfect, it's not, and I just always try and be like kind to others, and I hope that like radiates through me and my friendships and how I talk to people.

SPEAKER_02 18:01

Yeah, what will you always connect or what will always connect you to this place?

SPEAKER_01 18:09

Everything I think like my siblings went here, my parents went here. I have four cousins in my grade alone.

SPEAKER_02 18:19

So that idea is of family is like very true for you. Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 18:24

And I even see like I even see people that aren't my family kind of as family as well, because I've grown up with them. So yeah.

SPEAKER_00 18:32

I think something that'll always connect me to Central is my faith. I wasn't baptized as a baby. My parents came into the church when I was in about sixth grade, and like ever since I can remember, like this is where I learned my faith. And so, like, as I carry that on, and I like I get married in the Catholic Church, like I want Father John to be the presider at my wedding, like things like that. I hope to like carry the people and the experiences that I've met along for the rest of my life, and then like again be able to send my kids through this system, and if not like a a very similar one, because I think it is a different experience, and I think it would be best for my kids to grow up in this kind of system.

SPEAKER_02 19:09

If there's one thing that I know, it's that people that graduate from here feel connected to this place and they come back and we get to continue to see them. And I'm so excited to see what you two go on to do. Like this is this has been such a fun podcast episode to do. There's so much joy in the room, like you've laughed and you're smiling. It's just it's really awesome. So super appreciate you ladies taking the time to join me. Yeah, of course. Um really grateful for you sharing your story.

SPEAKER_01 19:36

Um, I also want to shout out Father John. I forgot to show you. Yeah, I want to shout you reminded me, he's definitely my like one of my favorite teachers too.

SPEAKER_00 19:45

Yeah, and it's really cool that we get to have a priest as a religion teacher and that we get to have mass every week. Because even though sometimes like it's like, oh, I don't want to go to mass today, like I always end up being grateful for it because I think it's a good thing to be grateful for because, like, how lucky are we to be able to celebrate that in our school and have a priest as a as our religion teacher? Yeah, and he's also really funny. He honked at us today. Yeah, he did that much.

SPEAKER_02 20:10

All right, well, you guys get to sign off. So, how do we end this episode?

SPEAKER_00 20:13

I don't know. Say, like, this is Samantha Deitch signing out.

SPEAKER_01 20:18

Um, I'll say what I say in the morning. Um, make it a good one, BC. Signing out. That was stupid.

SPEAKER_02 20:25

Love it. Thank you guys. Thanks for listening to Rooted in Rising. We'll be back next week with another story worth celebrating.