A Reflection on Finding Gratitude and Family at the Best Catholic School in Kansas City
“One blessing that has been on my mind a lot lately is the blessing of being able to attend Bishop Miege, the best Catholic school in Kansas City. My upbringing made finding a high school that could give me both a good academic and social life at the top of mind. At Bishop Miege, this is uniquely the case; I cannot think of many schools where students want to be at school. This is because of the enduring quality so well displayed by all of the faculty and staff. They do not only care about students’ grades, but also about the students’ lives.”
By: Joshua Collins, Class of 2026
Going into my senior year, I had a list of things that I wanted to improve on: number one was being more grateful. During the first few weeks of the school year, I listened to the song “Be Thankful for What You Got” by William DeVaugn every morning. If you are not familiar, the song is about living life without a Cadillac, or without any car at all. But to always “remember brothers and sisters, you can still stand tall. Just be thankful for what you’ve got.” It may seem odd, but this song has honestly made me feel more grateful for the blessings in my life.
The blessing of being able to attend Miege
One that has been on my mind a lot lately is the blessing of being able to attend Bishop Miege, the best Catholic school in Kansas City. In my family, education has always been the most important pursuit. I am pretty sure that I would hear, “How are your grades?” more often than, “How are you doing?” My family culture has always been especially centered around education. I remember going to visit my great-grandparents every Sunday for a family meal and being greeted with a dollar bill and the question, “How is school going?” This education-based upbringing made finding a high school that could give me both a good academic and social life at the top of mind.
A community that lifts you up
At Bishop Miege, this is uniquely the case; I cannot think of many schools where students want to be at school. This is because of the enduring quality so well displayed by all of the faculty and staff. They do not only care about students’ grades, but also about the students’ lives. I have felt this impact personally. During my time at Miege, I have lost many close family members, but each time that I came to school, with my head down, wanting to be anywhere else, the Miege community lifted me and helped return me to a sense of normalcy.
Joshua Collins ’25 with his parents, Jessica Salazar Collins ’97 and Joshua Collins at the Foundation Dinner. In his talk as the student speaker, Joshua reflected on his gratitude for Bishop Miege, where he shared that he’s found the best Catholic school in Kansas City and a community that feels like family.
Experiencing Kairos and deeper faith
One of the biggest examples of this was a large opportunity that I was given last year. I was chosen to be one of six junior class members to attend the 86th Bishop Miege Kairos retreat. This was an experience that fundamentally changed my life. I was able to go away for a weekend and talk to people my age about how I was feeling. This came less than a year after my Great-grandma Velia had passed away, and no more than a few months after my Great-grandma Mary had passed away. Being given this unique opportunity showed me the best of people and has led me to always look for the best in people, no matter how hard it may seem.
Along with this, I saw myself so much more deeply involved in my faith, making more important and purposeful choices like attending Mass more often, going to Adoration, and making time to say a prayer, especially when I am feeling down. Bishop Miege is not just there for you at your lowest, but also at your highest.
Opportunities beyond the classroom
My freshman year, Mr. Peterie introduced me to ProX, a Kansas City-based internship with local businesses. After working with a local business for a month of the summer, students give pitches on how to improve the business they worked with, and have the possibility of winning a grand prize for the best pitch. During the two years that I participated, I was grateful to win the grand prize both times. Last year, I was asked to give a speech to the school about this experience, something I honestly did not believe I would speak about in my lifetime. In the five minutes I spoke, I felt so grateful and proud of what I accomplished over the two summers, not just that, but also cheered on by my whole high school community.
Joshua Collins ’25 performs with other leads from “Mamma Mia!” at the Foundation Dinner. Joshua shared that Miege has become his home away from home through his many activities and friendships.
The people who make Miege feel like home
That special quality is something I have not found anywhere else in life but in my family. I cannot count how many times I have sat down with Mrs. Reynolds to write a speech, prepare for a tournament, or make an hours-long drive to the middle-of-nowhere Kansas, and feel like no time has passed at all. I cannot count how many times I have gone to Mrs. Fitzsimmons’ room so that I could talk about school, life, or any trivial topic on my mind, and be given sincerely amazing advice. I cannot count the number of times that Mr. Creach has stopped me to ask how I’m doing, how my day is going, or to offer me a piece of chocolate and make all of my problems seem so manageable. I could go down and list amazing qualities about every single staff member, and that is what sets Miege apart.
Finding belonging at the best Catholic School in Kansas City
These amazing qualities reverberate throughout every part of the Miege community, from the staff to the students, families, and the entirety of the community, and make us all one big, amazing family. Earlier, in the middle of the quote from one of my favorite songs, “Be Thankful for What you Got,” I mentioned the phrase “brothers and sisters.” I feel this is so perfect for how I feel about the Miege community, because if you asked about who my “brothers and sisters” here were, I could name you some of my closest friends who I have had the pleasure of attending Miege with. But that phrase, “brothers and sisters,” applies to not just my closest friends, but everyone here and every member of the Miege community because of how uniquely bonded we all are.
I honestly do not even want to think about how different my life would be without this amazing place that I am lucky enough to call my school, not just that, but my home away from home. I moved into my house the summer before freshman year, and I believe I have spent more time at Bishop Miege than in my own home. That fills me with so much pride that I have been able to dedicate so much time to a school that has given me so much and helped me through so much.
None of this would have been possible without you, wonderful people. I know that you do not donate to this wonderful institution for thanks and praise. Still, I want to say – thank you so much, not just for the opportunities you have helped me have, but also for the opportunities you have helped create for everyone in the Miege family. Because of you, this place makes it so easy to “remember brothers and sisters, you can still stand tall. Just be thankful for what you’ve got.”