For more than a century, St. John Preparatory School in Danvers has believed in the incredible potential of boys. As a Catholic, Xaverian Brothers-sponsored school, the Prep's mission goes beyond preparing students for college. It is about helping young men discover who they are, understand their gifts and responsibilities, and become people who use those gifts in service to others.

At the heart of that mission is a simple conviction: boys deserve to be known.

An all-boys environment gives St. John's Prep the opportunity to understand the particular ways boys learn, connect, and grow. The school's approach is not about limiting boys; it is about creating the conditions in which they can stretch themselves, take healthy risks, and discover what they are capable of becoming.

The Xaverian tradition places enormous value on enduring personal relationships. At St. John's, students are surrounded by teachers, coaches, counselors, mentors, campus ministers, advisors and other trusted adults who walk alongside them through both challenges and celebrations. These relationships foster a sense of belonging and give young men the confidence to ask questions, learn from failure, and grow in resilience.

"Whether it's faculty or staff, there are so many strong role models who I really look up to," says Carlos Hincapie '27. "There are so many people who really embody what the school is about and it makes me want to follow in their footsteps."

That sense of connection extends into the classroom. St. John's teachers intentionally consider how boys learn and develop, incorporating movement, collaboration, hands-on experiences and opportunities for self-advocacy. Students are taught not simply what to learn, but how to understand their own learning -- recognizing their strengths, identifying areas for growth, and learning when and how to seek help.

As economics teacher David Hennessey '83 P'16 puts it, "It's cool to be smart and it's cool to work hard at academic pursuits." At the Prep, academic excellence and personal growth are not competing priorities. They reinforce one another.

The same is true of leadership. St. John's provides students with countless opportunities to practice leading, whether through elected positions, service, athletics, clubs, retreats or formal leadership programs. The goal is not leadership for its own sake, but leadership rooted in humility, responsibility, and compassion.

"It's a huge compliment to know that my peers voted me to this position," says Class President Tommy Ayers '26. "I feel I have a responsibility to them to give my absolute best, to try to represent them as best I can."

Perhaps most importantly, the Prep believes character matters deeply. Through Catholic education, Campus Ministry, retreats, class meetings and the daily experience of belonging to a community, students are encouraged to consider the larger questions of life: What do I value? What kind of friend do I want to be? How can I use my gifts in service of others?

For Peter Cannistraci '99 P'31, that experience has come full circle. "As an alumnus of St. John's Prep and now as a parent, I've seen the benefit of an all-boys education from two different perspectives," he says. "As a student, I saw it from the perspective of being challenged constantly in an environment that helped me build confidence, character, and leadership. Now as a parent, I see my son experiencing those same sort of growth opportunities."

That continuity is perhaps one of the greatest strengths of a Xaverian education: a belief that education is ultimately about people, relationships and purpose.

The Prep's hope is that its graduates leave as humble seekers, servant leaders, problem solvers, and young men prepared for a calling -- ready not simply to succeed, but to contribute meaningfully to their families, communities, and the wider world.

For St. John's Prep, that is the promise of an all-boys education: to know young men well, challenge them generously, walk alongside them faithfully and help them become the men they are called to be.



DANA SHEPARD IS ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR FOR MARKETING AND COMMUNICATIONS (DSHEPARD@STJOHNSPREP.ORG OR 978-774-1050) AT ST. JOHN'S PREPARATORY SCHOOL IN DANVERS, MASS., A GRADE SIX THROUGH 12 SCHOOL EDUCATING YOUNG MEN FROM MORE THAN 90 COMMUNITIES TO BE, DO, AND STAND FOR GOOD IN THE WORLD.