Spring is always the time for looking forward to the new school year for Montini Catholic's Peer Ministry Team- and appointing new team members plays a key role in that process. Students must apply and be interviewed to become a member of the Peer Ministry Team and must continue to demonstrate a devotion to faith and leadership throughout the year they are members of the team. "Core Team Members" are selected to head up the team and provide student led guidance throughout the year. The new core team members for the 2025-26 school year are looking forward to taking the reins and took part in a special training session with outgoing senior core team members on Thursday, May 24th. Under the guidance of moderators, Mrs. Katie Miller and Mrs. Kelly Davis, the special team hopes to bring new and inspiring ideas to the table. 2025-26 Peer Ministry Core Team Members are seniors (Class of 2026) : Isaac Alexander, Patrick Thompson, Sophia Fountain and Ashlynn Lindt Montini Catholic's Peer Ministry is a faith-based team whose Christian mission is to inspire and motivate by example. ​The program seeks to enrich the faith life of Montini Catholic by allowing for more student centered choice and engagement in retreats, small groups, prayer and volunteer experiences. The​group was formed in 2018​ and is currently made up o​f​ junior and senior ​s​tudents​ - all specifically selected by Montini's Campus Ministry team for their faith and service demonstration. “We want to increase opportunities for students to grow in their faith,” ​s​ays ​M​rs. Miller. “We think that providing opportunities led by the students themselves will make them more meaningful and desirable.” ​The team's first activity happens in early June at Montini's First Step Social for incoming freshmen. Peer Ministers are tasked with giving a warm welcome to new Broncos, running games and other activities to help break the ice for these new students to feel at home. They are also involved with spearheading various service activities throughout the school year including Monitni's very successful Adopt-a-Family gift drive. In the fall of 2020, the group introduced a freshman mentorship program that extends throughout freshman year focusing on helping the newest Broncos create new connections to their classmates. Upperclassmen act as 'trusted guides' by helping the mentees become familiar with the high school atmosphere (policies, procedures, traditions etc.) and encouraging them to get involved and to develop new relationships in the process. The Peer Ministers will also take on leadership roles during Montini Catholic's much anticipated, annual Freshman and Sophomore Retreats which will take place in the fall and winter. New this year was the team's Conversation Partners Program where Peer Ministers meet with students from Montini's International Student Program (bi-weekly) to work on English language skills. The program seeks to build better communication amongst students - thus strengthening friendships and creating a better sense of community. "I am very proud of our Peer Ministry program," says Campus Ministry Director, Mr. Mike Blanchette. "Montini Catholic is a family oriented community. Our freshmen and sophomores, particularly, look up to the Peer Ministers as older brothers/sisters. While at the same time, our Peer Ministers are being challenged to grow their leadership skills and to become inspirations within their school and local communities." Image above: L to R: New core team members, Isaac Alexander '26 (Aurora), Patrick Thompson '26 (Naperville), Sophia Fountain '26 (Berkeley) and Ashlynn Lindt '26 (Lombard) - with outgoing core team members Collins Whitfield '25 (Downers Grove), Lily Cruz '25 (Elmhurst), Sienna Skarda '25 (Elmhurst) and Hannah Bushati '25 (Downers Grove);