Return to Strake Jesuit Highlighted by Change, Optimism

After 15 successful years, Fr. Dan Lahart says goodbye to Strake Jesuit. (Photo: Strake Jesuit)

Though taking a walk through the lively, bustling Strake Jesuit halls is not likely to alert one to the fact, the school enters the 2016-17 year facing a great deal of change. Last year, school president Father Daniel Lahart, SJ announced that he would be stepping down after 14 years, passing the torch to Father Jeff Johnson, SJ. Lahart, the man largely credited with Strake’s emergence as one of the country’s premier Catholic schools, leaves behind a legacy of growth and success for the school and its community.

As the entire student body and much of the faculty have never known Strake without Lahart, the year’s commencement was marked with a bit of uncertainty; however, optimism remains the enduring theme throughout the community, as the school has never been in a better position to undergo challenges and withstand change.

Conroy Delouche, former SJET faculty moderator, is now a reporter at LEX 18 in Lexington, Kentucky.

The Strake Jesuit community faced change beyond its administration as well. Mr. Conroy Delouche, faculty director of Strake Jesuit Education Television (SJET), the school’s daily morning news show, moved to Lexington, Kentucky to pursue his career as a news anchor. Though the portion of the student body unfamiliar with the ins and outs of the show likely noticed little change, SJET entered something of a state of panic last spring, rushing to prepare for the ensuing school year and the arrival of his replacement, Ms. Julie Philp. SJET, led by senior Wesley Pierre, are determined to act upon Mr. Delouche’s call to take the program “into the stratosphere.”  

Likely to be most jarring to the student body, however, is the departure of Brother Casey Ferlita, SJ. A 43-year member of the Strake Jesuit community, he had become something of a folk hero among students past and present alike. Brother Casey, a former professional boxer, was widely known and appreciated for his congeniality and unique, eclectic personality. He was an unwavering ray of kindness and love and will be sorely missed by all.

Though change can admittedly be a difficult concept to come to terms with, especially in regards to those you love and respect, the Strake Jesuit community as a whole wishes to welcome their new members and experiences with optimism and open arms.