Page 31 - 20-21 Annual Report

what I believed,” Caroline remembered. Fortunately, Mikayla’s time as an only
“I knew that as I continued forward child was short-lived. The next year, her
in life, the community of Sisters was younger twin siblings, Rebecca and Daniel,
always going to be there for me.” also moved in with their grandparents
The value placed on education and faith to pursue their Catholic high school
at Cor Jesu stuck with Caroline and made educations. Rebecca is now a junior at
it a place she hoped to continue her family Cor Jesu and Daniel is a junior at Christian
tradition—even from two hours away. Brothers College High School (CBC).
Caroline, her husband, John, and their 10 “It’s been an adjustment being away from
children reside in Ashland, Mo., where home the past two years,” Rebecca said.
John works with the Anheuser-Busch “However, my experiences at Cor Jesu have
Clydesdales at Warm Springs Ranch and been amazing and so different than if I
Caroline works as a veterinarian. The family hadn’t moved to St. Louis. I have been very
moved from St. Louis to Ashland in 2012, involved at CJA which has allowed me to
but under one condition from Caroline— make amazing friends, develop leadership
“That the kids’ education would not suffer.” skills, challenge myself academically
Her goal remained that their children and grow in my Catholic faith.
would receive the best opportunities The fourth Detweiler sibling also moved
available, and for their first-born, Mikayla ‘22, in with grandma and grandpa this fall.
that meant taking the traditional route Abigail just began her freshman year at
at Cor Jesu in a non-traditional way. Cor Jesu, following Mikayla and Rebecca.
Mikayla visited Cor Jesu in eighth grade, “It’s exciting to be back with my older
and despite the location, she fell in sisters and become a Charger like my
love. Like her mom, Mikayla found a mom and aunts,” Abigail said. “My sisters
welcoming spirit at CJA and saw it as a have calmed my nerves about being
family. Not to mention, she was impressed away from home. I miss the rest of my
by the science labs. When Mikayla told family, of course, but am excited for the
her parents that she wanted to be a challenges of being a CJA student and am
Charger, they made it happen—with ready to experience the school’s spirit."
some help from grandma and grandpa. John and Caroline Detweiler miss their
In the Fall of 2018, Mikayla moved in four oldest children, but to them it’s a
with Caroline’s parents in St. Louis to sacrifice worth making. Inspired by her
begin her freshman year at Cor Jesu. parents’ sacrifices that allowed her to
She quickly became involved with experience Cor Jesu, Caroline wants to
sports, the Benin Babies service club, do the same for her daughters. Cor Jesu
Mock Trial and of course, ECHO, CJA’s was instrumental in Caroline’s success
science club. The oldest of 10, living in college and in vet school; it was a
only with her grandparents was quite milestone in her faith journey, and the
the change for Mikayla. It’s a quieter source of many special friendships.
home, which makes for a nice place “Most importantly, I think Cor Jesu sets
to study, but at the beginning, she the foundation for its students to say to
did miss her parents and siblings. themselves, ‘Hey, I can do this,’ when
“It was hard sometimes, and still can be things get tough in life,” Caroline said. “And
hard, because I’ll miss birthdays during when they really feel like they can’t, they
the week or other exciting events with have their foundation of faith to lean on.”
my family,” Mikayla said. “But I always It was a simple pro-con decision for
know it’s worth it because Cor Jesu is the Detweilers. The pros of sending
preparing me so well for college and I’ve their daughters to Cor Jesu simply
made so many great friends with people outweighed the cons of not seeing
I would have never known otherwise.” each other every day. Plus, how can
you argue with family tradition?

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