Preston Pierre ’24 Credits CBA for Helping Him ‘Think Outside the Box’
March 21, 2024
Senior Preston Pierre never thought of himself as a potential Christian Brothers Academy student. After all, he simply figured he would follow in his sister’s footsteps at her school.
During his eighth grade year, his classmates at St. Catharine School in Spring Lake kept talking about CBA, prompting his family to look into the Academy.
“I gave in and toured [CBA],” he remembered. “I absolutely loved the school, so I applied to CBA and got in.”
Once enrolled at the Academy, the Brick Township-native saw his academic prowess develop quickly in CBA’s learning environment. He took his courses seriously and made sure he stayed on top of his work. Ultimately, his efforts over the past four years landed him an acceptance to the University of Chicago.
“The learning environment here at CBA is very similar to UChicago,” he said. “It is a work hard, play hard system. That has benefited me a lot, so when I saw UChicago was very similar, it was definitely the choice for me.”
Pierre is quick to credit the faculty and counselors at CBA for helping him reach this point. He very much appreciated the efforts of his counselor, Ms. Morrello, during the college selection process. Her quick response time and vast knowledge of the college admissions world were tremendous assets to Pierre when he had questions.
His teachers became role models and mentors during his career at CBA as well. Whether it was freshman year biology with Mr. Orozco or junior theology with Mr. Thawley, his classroom skills improved every step of the way.
“Those are super creative teachers and they helped me think outside the box. Overall, my experience here at CBA was rigorous and hard at times, but I definitely learned a lot of things that will help me in college.”
Pierre did not take his senior year lightly, too. He currently has a challenging course load that includes AP Biology, AP Calculus, AP English Literature and AP US Government. During his junior year, he was inducted into the National Honor Society, as well as the Spanish Honor Society. He qualified to participate in CBA’s Brother Michael Dwyer Scholars Program this year as well.
Outside of the classroom, Pierre has been involved in the Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA), where is now co-president and has led many of the club’s events this year. He has also played varsity soccer and participated in one of CBA’s culture clubs, the Francophone (French) Club. Pierre also credited CBA with instilling in him a love for service projects, which he noted he continues to do outside of his required service hours for graduation.
With just a few weeks remaining as a CBA student, there is no doubt what Pierre will miss most about the Academy.
“My friends,” he said definitively. “That is the number one factor. I am definitely going to miss them, but also the teachers that I have gotten close with.”
As a true Academy man, Pierre is excited for students in the incoming Class of 2028 to have similar experiences.
“You are definitely not going to regret it,” he said. “My advice is to think outside the box. There is a whole bunch of resources here to help you. Take advantage of what CBA has to offer.”