Scholarship Focus

Claudia Navarro
This article first appeared in the Belen Jesuit Alumni Magazine, Summer 2021 edition.

A few years ago, we made the decision to create a Scholarship Endowment Fund at Belen. Making that decision was a rather easy one, being that our three sons, Michael ‘20, Andrew ‘23, and Adrian ‘26, have had such impactful experiences at the school. Belen has been and continues to be a fundamental piece of the puzzle of formation, instilling in our boys the core values of leadership, faith, a brotherhood like no other, and the belief that they are truly men for others. 

On the day of Michael’s graduation from Belen in 2020, I remember sitting there and reflecting on how the young boy I dropped off on that first day of 6th grade had become a man. We realized then, the impact Belen had had on him. Belen helped us create a strong, independent man for the world, whose core values, confidence, and desire to succeed gave him the tools needed to achieve great success at Tulane, where he is now a student in the Honors program. He changed dramatically over the course of those seven years at Belen, formed lifelong friendships, and is a better person because of that formation. 

We also witnessed the tremendous brotherhood on which Belen prides itself. When Andrew’s classmate, Anthony Parodi, became very sick earlier this year, we saw his sophomore class truly come together to rally for their friend. The class came together to pray the rosary for Anthony, every single night, for over a year. When he sadly passed away, we witnessed his classmates come together to honor his life at his funeral mass, which was held at Belen. Those boys grew up that day and did so together united like I had not witnessed before. Brotherhood is something that is an integral part of the culture and everyday life at Belen. It’s woven into what the boys see and learn every day. The brotherhood formed at Belen is a blessing that lasts a lifetime.

Belen also creates in their students a drive to be the best versions of themselves. It is based on the fundamental core value of Magis, which means to strive to do more.  While Adrian is still early in his Belen journey, we are seeing the fruits of this already. In the two short years since he has been a Wolverine, we have seen the shift from a child who loved the competition in sports, to one who also thrives in the academic competition in the classroom. Belen creates that environment and it creates success. 

Seeing the positive influence Belen has had on our boys, we strongly feel everyone should have the opportunity for a Jesuit-Catholic education, regardless of financial resources. What better way to honor what this school has given to us than to give back? It is a blessing to know that creating this scholarship fund will allow other boys to enjoy the gift of Belen Jesuit for years to come.

If you would like to learn more about how to establish an endowment, please contact Felipe "Phil" Fernández, Executive Director of Advancement and Alumni Relations, at 305.804.7683 or at ffernandez@belenjesuit.org
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BELEN JESUIT PREPARATORY SCHOOL
500 SW 127th Avenue, Miami, FL 33184
phone: 305.223.8600 | fax: 305.227.2565 | email: webmaster@belenjesuit.org
Belen Jesuit Preparatory School was founded in 1854 in Havana, Cuba by Queen Isabel II of Spain.  The task of educating students was assigned to the priests and brothers of the Society of Jesus (the Jesuits), whose teaching tradition is synonymous with academic excellence and spiritual discipline.  In 1961, the new political regime of Cuba confiscated the School property and expelled the Jesuit faculty.  The School was re-established in Miami the same year, and over the next decade, continued to grow.  Today, Belen Jesuit sits on a 30-acre site in western Dade County, only minutes away from downtown Miami.