Conversations

BELONGING

BY JULIAN OSORIO ‘24

(Left) Delbarton and Kent Place students working together at the BHM Fashion Show at St. Benedict Hall in February 2022. (Right) Delbarton students outside Old Main during the Copa América Delbarton Tournament at the HHM celebration.

What does “Belonging” mean to you? At first, I attempted to answer this question on my own. As a sophomore in high school, I believed that I would be more than prepared for this question, which when presented to me I considered relatively simple. However, as the school year has flown by, I’ve experienced many situations that have greatly humbled me and have shown me that I only understand a mere fraction of what it truly means to belong to Delbarton, not only to the student body, but to the broader community that has practiced the value of brotherhood for over eighty years now. After some pondering, I resolved to ask the people whom I spend more time with than my own family at home — my brothers. Specifically, I asked several highly cherished friends of mine, one of whom is graduating this year and has attended Delbarton for six years, Ikenna Amadi. When I first posed the question, Ikenna gave me a bewildered look, as he and I have never discussed such a deep question before; yet after a brief pause, he gave his answer. In short, Ikenna emphasized that every student whom Delbarton has accepted since 1939 both belonged within the community and deserved to be there. All of us as brothers have overcome some sort of obstacles or challenges that have led us here; and as we continue our individual journeys on campus, we grow into men through the lessons of our teachers and in the presence of each other. At this point, it’s more than a brotherhood but a true family as emphasized in the multiple texts we have studied and that future Delbarton students will continue to study for years to come.

COMUNITYDIALOGUE

In January, PCDI welcomed Delbarton consultant Lawrence Alexander of Carney, Sandoe, and Associates for a conversation with the community on “Belonging. ” Mr. Alexander, a Catholic school graduate, was hired by Delbarton to provide guidance for a community belonging survey. He specializes in advising related to board governance, climate assessment, and inclusive hiring and also assisted in the school’s strategic planning initiative. During the meeting, Lawrence explained that our Catholic identity enables the Delbarton community to do work to promote representation and participation. Lawrence highlighted that “Diversity is a fact, Equity is a choice, Inclusion is an action, and Belonging is an outcome. ” Lawrence pointed to the all-boys brotherhood as one of the strengths of Delbarton and made recommendations to further enhance the Delbarton experience for all.

Questiontothestudents:WhatdoesBELONGING

meanatDelbarton?Here’s what our student community said in one word, when asked what belonging at Delbarton means to them...