In May, six Bonner & Prendie students traveled to Boston for the Student Augustinian Values Institute (SAVI), joining students from Augustinian schools across the country for a weekend focused on the values of truth, unity, and love. This opportunity is offered as an annual benefit to a select group of B&P students, as part of our new membership in the Augustinian Secondary Education Association (ASEA).
Freshman Khristina Dias; sophomores Connor Cooke, Luke Coyne, and Jude Murphy; and juniors Ruth Ahia and Mia Nepomuceno attended the conference alongside Dr. Shelton Nalley and Mr. Sean Smith.
Through lectures, small group discussions, fellowship, prayer, and service, students explored what it means to live out the Augustinian values of veritas (truth), unitas (unity), and caritas (love). One of the most meaningful parts of the weekend was a service project where students helped build beds for children in need.
The group also had the opportunity to tour historic churches throughout Boston, explore the city together, and end the weekend with some friendly competition at the bowling alley.
For Khristina Dias, the experience was both meaningful and eye-opening.
“Throughout the trip, we focused on veritas, unitas, and caritas, which helped me reflect on the importance of truth, unity, and love in my daily life,” she shared.
Khristina said hearing perspectives from students from different schools across the country was one of the most impactful parts of the experience.
“It showed me that even though we come from different environments, we share many of the same beliefs and challenges,” she said.
She also reflected on a message from one of the speakers that challenged students to think more intentionally about how they treat others in everyday life.
“This example really showed how caritas isn't lived out in grand gestures, but in small, intentional choices that reflect how we truly see and value others,” she shared.
Reflecting on the weekend, Khristina wrote:“This trip didn't simply introduce me to Augustinian Values; it quietly unraveled the ways truth, unity, and love are intertwined. I began to see how veritas, unitas, and caritas aren't abstract ideas; they are the lenses through which I now choose to see others.”
As Bonner & Prendergast continues to strengthen its Augustinian identity, opportunities like SAVI give students and faculty the chance to learn, grow, and serve within the Augustinian tradition alongside schools from across the country.
We are proud of these students for representing the Bonner & Prendie community so well.