Most people don’t choose the harder path on purpose. For me I did without even realizing it at the time.
When I had the opportunity to choose what high school to go to I had much easier options. At Mount Carmel lots of people talk about how students pass so many schools just to get to MC. This is very true, but it does not really hit you until you are about to graduate.
Yes, choosing a school like East Leyden or Proviso East would have been easier, allowing me to sleep more and be less stressful with planning stuff. But at the end of the day I am grateful for my choice.
Coming out of elementary school, almost all my friends were going to the local public high schools, which were less than ten minutes away and much more convenient (and free). When I told them I was going to a school on the South Side while having to take public transportation there and the commute was an hour, they thought I was crazy.
At the time I really thought nothing of it. Now is when it all hits me.
My four years at MC were great. I was challenged all the time, and it was a true grind. Up until the middle of junior year I would have to take a bus and train to school everyday. Occasionally I would have to walk a few miles from train station to train station. The days became super long, especially during basketball and baseball season.
During freshman year I had Mr. Victor Guaramato as a Spanish teacher, and he had a son, Victor, who played basketball and was also a freshman. Victor was in my friend group, and during basketball season we would come to school at 6AM and practice. This was my first time putting in that true extra work, and it came from a relationship at MC. From there I understood what hard work was and those relationships continued to grow throughout my time at MC which pushed me to grow.
The friendships I have made at MC are what I’m most grateful for. Entering freshman year, I knew a few guys, and just being able to grow with them as well as with others I met through my time here is what I’m very appreciative of. The kids I met through sports were really life-changing for me. I love MC so much just for the brotherhood of every guy pushing each other to get better and work harder to reach their best potential.
That is what happened to me during my four years, and it played a huge part in turning me into the man I am today.
At MC the grind and grit starts becoming second nature. For me I am able to look back at everything now and just be grateful for that.
As I reflect on my time I realize there are a lot of soft people in the world, and what I mean by that is there are a lot of people who don’t work hard or rely on other people to do something for them. This just highlights how great MC is at turning you into a self independent person.
That high standard we are held to with not being able to make excuses is what separates us from other kids. Yeah, it sucks when the dean or teachers are on our neck about little things like dress code or ids, but it truly does change the kind of person you are.
The term “Man of Carmel” is mentioned a lot around here. I always brushed it off because I didn’t quite understand it. Now it is clear as day.
It’s pretty easy to tell what makes a Man of Carmel different. It is the grit and respect we have. Other people are able to tell this right away, especially when MC kids around kids from other schools. There’s just something different about MC kids, whether it’s how hard we work or how good of a person we each are, and it is so easy to tell because the kids from other schools are fine with being average.
The standard for me is high. Being average is not acceptable, and that is perfectly fine with me because I have bought into the MC way.
That brotherhood I had at MC grew tremendously while playing baseball, which was the main reason I came to the school. Baseball at MC was truly an amazing experience. With the 2026 class having a lot of kids that knew each other beforehand, we quickly bonded with each other. Throughout my four years, I’m grateful for my teammates I have had that have made my time throughout the years so special.
These past four years were unforgettable, and I leave with no regrets. My life has been changed, and I will always remember where I came from.
What a ride. Spin reel.
