Alex Sullivan, 18, graduated May 26, but after more than a decade at Catholic Central, the new graduate will always be part of the Irish.

Alex, daughter of James and Kim Sullivan, is headed to Bowling Green State University next year, but since pre-school she has been at Catholic Central.

The St. Teresa parishioner was involved in peer ministry, led retreats, led service days and volunteered with the CYO while in high school. She also competed for the Irish in golf, basketball and softball.

The community she’s been a part of for many years remains one of her favorite things about the school.

“I’ve known every single person in my class my entire life,” she said.

Just being part of the community wasn’t enough for Sullivan. She became a leader in athletics and academics, but also in faith.

“Seeing the people in the Catholic Central community act on their faith has strengthened my own,” she said. “I am involved in so much because I see the effects they have on people and I want to share my faith and abilities in every way possible.”

Among her many activities, Sullivan said retreat leadership was a favorite.

“I became interested in leading retreats when I first got to experience them myself,” she said. “As a seventh grader, the upperclassmen led the retreats and from that moment I knew that I wanted to be a retreat leader. I saw what an impact they had on all of the (participants) and how much fun they had doing it… Retreats are such a special part of a Catholic education and it is probably my favorite part of Catholic Central.”

If it sounds like Sullivan might just be the poster child for Catholic education, Assistant Principal Elizabeth Kregel agrees.

“Alex is a model Catholic Central student for several reasons,” Kregel said. “She excels academically, she is extremely involved in campus ministry, and she is participates in a wide array of extracurricular activities… We have no doubt she will be successful in college and beyond.”

This story first appeared in the June 2016 print edition of The Catholic Telegraph.