Mike Stanton ’88, P’20 Shares Reflections on Founder's Day

St. Sebastian’s celebrated its 85th Founder’s Day on Tuesday, September 29, welcoming back Mike Stanton ’88, P’20, Vice President of the Board of Trustees, to share his story with today’s Arrows. The annual event commemorates the School’s first-ever day of classes, held on September 29, 1941, on Nonantum Hill in Newton.

Stanton came to St. Sebastian’s as an eighth grader in the fall of 1983, shortly after the School moved from Newton to its current home in Needham. He admitted that the transition to a new school wasn’t easy at first, but it didn’t take long for him to find his place. “The community and brotherhood surrounds you,” he told today’s Arrows. “Before I knew it, I was an Arrow.”

Over the next five years, Stanton made lifelong friends, grew as a student, strengthened his faith, played soccer and took up lacrosse, eventually captaining the team and playing in college. He spoke about how the foundation he built at St. Sebastian’s became especially important following a profound personal loss while he was in college.

With the support of his family, friends and the St. Sebastian’s community, he began to move forward and reconnect with the faith that had been such an important part of his life at St. Sebastian’s. “Faith can mean lots of things to lots of different people,” Stanton said. “It can be hard to grab, it can be hard to make sense of at times. But a community of faith, like this community, will provide that strength for you when you need it.”

Stanton also used the 85th anniversary to reflect on the School’s history. While going through old boxes at home with his wife, he recently discovered a 1984 edition of The Walrus, St. Sebastian’s student newspaper, which first appeared in 1945, just months before the School’s first senior class graduated. The front-page story covered the School’s move from Newton to Needham and included comments from former headmaster Fr. Riepe about the decision to build a new chapter for St. Sebastian’s in Needham.

Reflecting on the School’s history and its growth over the past 85 years, Stanton reminded students that the things that have always defined St. Sebastian’s remain at its heart: community and faith.

He closed by encouraging today’s Arrows to thank their parents “early and often” for making it possible for them to be part of this amazing school. “Don’t take anything for granted, ever. Especially this place,” Stanton said. “Embrace this community, embrace your faith, and know that they will be there when you need them most.”

“Don’t take anything for granted, ever. Especially this place. Embrace this community, embrace your faith, and know that they will be there when you need them most.” Mike Stanton '88, P'20