Walking through the halls of Mount Carmel High School, Declan Deering can not help but imagine his great-grandfather doing the exact same things as him decades ago. The MC senior  carries on a family tradition that stretches back over a century.

Deering holds a unique place in the school’s history. He is the fifth generation of his family to attend, and his connection to the school runs deep. 

“It feels good attending Mount Carmel,” Deering says. “It’s cool to walk around the old building and think about my great-grandpa being here, doing the same things I’m doing now.”

From familial traditions to members of his family being featured on the school’s Wall of Fame, the Deerings have left a mark. Declan does not feel pressure to live up to the family name, but he does take pride in keeping the legacy alive. “I try to keep the legacy going and try to live up to what they did in that home,” he says.

MC has played an important role in the lives of the Deering family for a very long time. Stories have been passed down about their experiences, including one about a relative of Declan’s, who nearly did not graduate. “A story I have heard is that one of the six brothers had gotten kicked out,” he shares, “and he received an honorary Mount Carmel diploma while all of the other brothers graduated.” 

Although Declan does not feel pressured by his family’s legacy, he does notice some differences between his experience and those of his family members. One relative who had visited the campus in the summer pointed out that much has changed.

“My uncle just walked around and told me how everything was different,” Declan says. One difference even caught the attention of an MC staff member. “Mr. DiFilippo was talking to him about how the doors in the bathroom stalls were new.” Many MC alums from years past recall not exactly having that kind of privacy as students when using the facilities back in their day.

For the Deering family, some aspects of Mount Carmel remain unchanged. Teachers like Dr. Jon Berry, who taught Declan’s uncle, try to still connect with the family through Declan.

“Last year, Doc Berry gave me the notebook from his class that was my uncle’s senior notebook in 2002, and that was pretty cool,” Declan says. The sense of brotherhood has not changed. “My uncle did everything here,” he explains. “He ran Fight Night, and comparing it now to when I was a kid coming here, it is all the same.” 

As Declan Deering prepares to graduate, he anticipates to stay involved with the school, just like his family members have. “I hope to stay around and stay involved in everything,” he said.

Because his family members are still involved at MC, he wants to make sure he is apart of the community that has given him and his relatives so much.