Senior Seminar Speaker Has Surprise Connection

T. Spika
December 9, 2016

One of the interesting aspects of Seminar is having speakers come in to share their stories
and wisdom with our students. Some topics are light and inspirational, others more serious. So far this year, we’ve had a Viet Nam War Vet who discussed his combat experiences; Col. Jamie Fischer who discussed his career military service; Andrew Siess, a human-powered world traveler, who shared his journeys; a lawyer who told about his work on a Louisiana death row case; a variety of police officers who discussed today’s climate surrounding law enforcement, sexual assault survivors who shared their stories of perseverance, hope and healing; and, finally, Hayley Mueller.

Hayley works as a fundraiser for Catholic Charities. She shared with us the many services offered by Catholic Charities, especially detailing the improvements found in the new Dorothy Day Center. Hayley is a CDH grad whose service experience as a senior took her to St. Peter Claver, reading to first-graders.

Senior Brandon Jackson was in one of the classes that day. As Hayley was explaining her service work at CDH, Brandon raised his hand and said, “I knew you looked familiar.” Hayley responded, “Oh, my gosh, I read to you!” Brandon had been Hayley’s “reading buddy” as a St. Peter Claver first-grader. Their encounter turned out to the be best part of an amazing day. At the end of the school day, Brandon stopped up to the Jazz Band Room to reminisce about old times.

The photo shows Hayley and Brandon, quite a few years after they first met. Brandon was Hayley’s ‘Dear Neighbor” then, and now Brandon is returning the favor for young kids at Crossroads Elementary School, bringing to life the familiar call to “let us love God and the Dear Neighbor, without distinction.”