Minding Mind & Spirit at Molloy
On the morning of Nov. 10, Brother Tom Schady woke up to some difficult news: His mother had passed away. Heading into work, he knew he could count on support at Archbishop Molloy High School, the Queens prep school where he is the principal. As he walked the school"s hallways that day, he was stopped by students, teachers and administrators offering their condolences.
A strong sense of community is a defining trait of Molloy, a prestigious Catholic Marist school that has produced alums like Gov. Andrew Cuomo and Police Commissioner Ray 
Kelly. Founded in 1892, Molloy is known for its selectivity and rigorous academics.
But for Schady, it all comes down to the students.
“I say this humbly, but we really do have the most spirited group of kids, he said. “They all believe that this is their second home.
Richard Karsten, the president of Molloy, echoed that sentiment. “Our students are outstanding, and are hands down our best spokespeople, he said.
Adrienne, a Molloy senior from Flushing, was initially attracted by the school"s stellar academic reputation and selectivity. After visiting Molloy and witnessing the school"s familial atmosphere, she committed.
“When I first came to see it, it just felt so comfortable, Adrienne said. “It"s small enough that you feel like a close-knit community here.
Molloy"s motto is “Not for School but for Life, and the school"s comprehensive approach prepares young men and women not just for college but for adulthood. The school offers 21 college-level courses, and 99 percent of Molloy"s graduates go on to attend four-year colleges.
Sister Elizabeth Bickar, an assistant principal, has been at Molloy for 33 years. “I came planning to stay for five years but absolutely fell in love with the place, she said. “Our teachers are superb; they teach well and genuinely care about the students.
Pauline, a senior from Elmhurst, recently read The Clan of the Cave Bear in her advanced placement literature course. To her, the approach her teacher took in studying the novel was typical of her experience at Molloy.
“My teacher is inspiring in the way she goes above and beyond, Pauline said. “Instead of just reading the book from a literary angle, she made us think beyond that and we looked at the book from the perspective of anthropology and archaeology.
Stephen, a senior from Fresh Meadows, remembered the support he received when his aunt passed away. Distraught over the loss, a guidance counselor consoled him.
“Brother Norton just let me cry it out, Stephen said. “The support he gave me inspired me to become a peer group leader.
The peer groups are part of Molloy"s effort to foster cohesion in the student body and help them through the challenges of growing up. The program carefully selects sophomores and matches them to seniors with similar backgrounds and personalities. The groups meet every other day to hold rap sessions where they discuss the full range of challenges young people face in their daily lives.
Molloy also fosters strong ties within the student body by holding regular retreats in Esopus, N.Y., an upstate community where the Marist brothers maintain an estate. One of the traditional activities at these retreats is a team-building game called “Flag. The game is unique to Molloy and involves offensive and defensive lines working together to grab a flag in the middle of a field.
“It"s basically Steal the Bacon on steroids, said Karsten, the school president. “It"s an activity that teaches the students teamwork and exertion.
Karsten graduated from Molloy in 1981 and is proud that so many of his fellow alums have a strong attachment to their high school. “We have terrific alumni support and host events that keep drawing them back, he said. “We have many people who step up to help us out. Because of this we are financially healthy and fiscally sound.
Bickar is not surprised by this generosity. “Our students leave here understanding that the character they build by the education here is a lived experience and not just an intellectual one.
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