Lead Like a Marist

This summer, 11 rising juniors in the Class of 2028 spent a week participating in the sixth annual Marist Youth Leadership Camp at the Marist Brothers Center in Esopus, NY, with over 100 rising juniors, staff, and young alumni from the other Marist high schools in the United States (and one from Quebec).

Photo Album: Marist Youth Leadership Camp

July 20- 25, 2026; Marist Brothers Center in Esopus, NY, July 20 - 25, 2026

Click here to view album and download photos on Raider SmugMug.

"During the week, our students learned and practiced skills for leading small group discussions, leading large group prayer services and meal prayers, running group icebreakers, and writing talks," states Mr. Tim Hart '85, Campus Minister.

"They wrote and presented talks on Marcellin, Mary, and what it means to 'pray for each other'."

"Some of them wrote 'witness talks' on their experience of God's presence in their lives."

"Additionally, they made lots of new friends from around the USA Marist Province (and three from Quebec!) and learned about principles of Marist community and Marist leadership. They also got to witness Marist Brothers Ryan Richter and Rob Dittus renew their temporary vows at a Mass on Friday, July 24."

"We wholeheartedly recommend all of them for leadership and service opportunities at Central!

"In September, the group will begin working together to plan and lead this year's Freshman Retreat at Camp Marist, scheduled for April 27."

"Seniors Jaiden Padlan-Andrade and Maddie Manry, who participated in the camp last summer, travelled with us to work as part of the kitchen crew. They also made time to join our school group meeting and share wisdom from their own experience of running the freshman retreat.

"Major props to Ms. Anne Martino (Religious Studies Faculty) who joined us in chaperoning the week, and to future Raider Julianna Blaszak, who worked on the kitchen crew for a couple of days!"

Raider Participants

• Avery Berkley '28
• Sophia Blouin '28
• Emma Correia '28
• Michaela LaSpina '28
• Bridget Lindner '28
• James Maroun '28
• Victoria Montminy '28
• Angelina Paulino '28
• Victoria Paulino '28
• Jacob Petrosillo '28
• Allyson Sabando '28

Volunteers/Kitchen Crew (and past year attendees)

• Jaiden Padlan-Andrade '27
• Maddie Manry '27

Chaperones

• Mrs. Vicki Izzo Blaszak, Campus Minister
• Mr. Tim Hart '85, Campus Minister
• Ms. Anne Martino, Religious Studies Faculty
• Mr. Chris Sullivan '81, Director of Marist Mission

Kitchen Crew & Future Raider

• Julianna Blaszak

 

About Marist Youth Leadership Camp

Young leaders from Marist schools across the USA Province recently gathered at the Marist Brothers Center at Esopus for the annual Marist Youth Leadership Camp, a week dedicated to faith, leadership, and community. Bringing together students from across the Province, the experience challenged participants to reflect on their own gifts while discovering what it means to lead in the Marist way.

Throughout the week, students took part in prayer, leadership workshops, small-group discussions, team-building activities, and time for personal reflection. Along the way, they built friendships with peers from other Marist schools and explored how the values of St. Marcellin Champagnat continue to shape young leaders today.

As camp came to a close, participants returned home with fresh perspectives, stronger connections to the wider Marist family, and a renewed commitment to
serving their school communities.

Concretely, with this preparation most of them will lead the We Are Marist freshmen retreat held for new students at their respective schools next year.

Whether through campus ministry, student leadership, retreats, or everyday acts of accompaniment, they are now better equipped to put their faith into action and lead with humility, compassion, and hope.

Activities included:

• Developing and presenting talks & witnesses
• Leading prayer
• Group skills and leading ice breakers
• Facilitating small group discussions
• Prayer
• Pool: optional swim time
• Campfire, complete with marshmallows and stories
• Dance party
• Ice cream social

Click here to view more photos in the Marist Brothers SmugMug album.

 

 

We are Marist & Catholic.

We believe in something bigger than ourselves.

Here, students of all faiths and religious identities share a commitment to serve those most in need.

Students experience an inclusive journey of personal growth while making a positive impact on the world.

We believe in our own potential and in the goodness of others.

Guided by the vision of Saint Marcellin Champagnat, we are inspired to make the world a better place by serving and leading.

 

Being Marist

As Marists, we believe strongly in the importance and power of family; it’s at the very heart of the Central Catholic experience.

So much of what our alumni remember most—the abiding respect for everyone in our community, our commitment to the least favored, the dedication of our faculty, and the unbreakable bonds of friendship, can be traced directly back to the Marist tradition of family spirit.

Marks of a Marist Student

Faith-filled Disciples... We are faith-filled disciples of Jesus, Mary, and Champagnat.

Empowered Witnesses... We are empowered witnesses to God’s love in our lives. We live simply, morally and with integrity.

Agents of Justice and Service... We are agents of justice and service. We stand in compassionate solidarity with the least favored.

Servant Leaders... We are servant leaders, sharing our gifts and talents with the Church and the world.

Spirit-filled Members of Family & Community... We are members of a family. We celebrate and welcome everyone as members of one family created by God.

The Five Pillars of our Marist Identity

The Five Pillars of Marist Identity were introduced by the Marist Province in 2015 as ideals to which all Marists, students and adults alike, should commit to.

The Pillars are:

Presence… caring for each other, seeking relationships founded on love, being attentive and welcoming with a sense of openness

Simplicity… being straightforward and genuine, humble and modest, ‘doing good quietly’

Family Spirit… relating to each other as members of a loving family, building community, offering the warmth of welcoming, acceptance and belonging, sharing our successes and failures, setting clear standards of honesty, mutual respect, and tolerance

Love of Work… being generous of heart, constant, and persevering in our daily work, confident, visionary, decisive in meeting the needs of our community and encouraging each other to discover the dignity of our work with young people and with each other

In the Way of Mary… seeing Mary as a perfect model of being Marist, tender, strong, constant in faith, open to God’s calling us to our own journey of discipleship

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About the Marist Brothers of the Schools

The Marist Brothers of the Schools is a Roman Catholic congregation of vowed teaching brothers founded by Saint Marcellin Champagnat in France in 1817.

Today, the Marist Brothers are an international religious community of more than 4,000 Catholic Brothers dedicated to making Jesus known and loved through the education of young people, especially those most neglected.

Marist Brothers are located in 81 countries in North America, Central America, South America, Europe, Africa, Asia, the Middle East, and Oceania. There are over 600,000 young people in Marist schools around the world each year.

The Marist Brothers are joined worldwide by more than 70,000 lay men and women who share in their mission.

In the United States there are more than 130 Marist Brothers living in 32 communities across eight states.

Marist Brothers strive to make a difference in the world by showing young people that they are loved, safe and cared for.

Central Catholic was founded in 1935 by Brother Florentius and the Marist Brothers.

Our identity as Marists and as Catholics informs every aspect of school life.