Ebube Osiegbu, 15, was enrolled at St. Mary of the Hills School in Milton after moving to Massachusetts from Nigeria to live with his aunt. Ebube is one of the school’s many success stories, having become vice president of the student council and getting accepted to Xaverian Brothers High School. (Photo Courtesy St. Mary of the Hills School)
MILTON — After landing at St. Mary of the Hills School, a Catholic school in Milton, Ebube Osiegbu was unsure of himself and whether he would fit in.
“At first, I was shy,” he said. “I didn’t know anyone. I thought I wasn’t going to be liked in this school.”
He came to Massachusetts as a 10-year-old from Nigeria in order to live with his aunt, who then insisted that he receive a Christian education, hoping it would instill in him a proper sense of morality. It turns out, five years later, that sending Ebube to St. Mary of the Hills School was the best decision she could have ever made for him.
“I got more comfortable, and I made new friends,” said Ebube, now 15, who celebrated his graduation on Friday, June 6. “I felt like it was a second home to me. Every day, I got to learn so many new things. It’s really helped me get better as a person. I love the community of faith.”
Ebube is just one of the many success stories to come out of St. Mary of the Hills School, a culturally diverse Catholic school teaching students in preschool through the eighth grade. The school employs 35 full-time faculty members, instructing about 268 students drawn from over 25 communities.
Valuing academic excellence and spiritual growth, St. Mary of the Hills School inspires kids to dream big as they grow in understanding of the world around them, providing a transformative educational experience that instills self-confidence, inspires leadership and sets students up for a lifetime of success.
For Ebube, this meant becoming vice president of the student council, while also playing for the school basketball team as it made a playoff push, in addition to competing in the New England Club Soccer League. Next school year, Ebube is planning to attend Xaverian Brothers High School, continuing his Catholic education at the college-preparatory school in Westwood.
“He’s blossomed into a young leader, and he’s become more open to sharing his thoughts and passions,” said St. Mary of the Hills Principal Suzanne Banach. “His story is one of resilience and perseverance. He’s worked hard to get into Xaverian, and he has a nice scholarship to attend. Everything has lined up in his favor. He’s a real success story.”
On top of that, Ebube has grown spiritually at St. Mary of the Hills, now planning to undergo the sacraments of initiation to join the Catholic Church, including baptism, first Communion and confirmation.
“It’s something he chose. He wanted that,” Principal Banach said. “I think that’s beautiful. He made that commitment. He wants to join the Church. He feels God is with him.”
Ebube said that he found truth in the Catholic Christian faith and was able to get answers to his questions concerning religion from the teachers at St. Mary of the Hills.
“I like the truth found in being Catholic,” Ebube said. “I’ve found in other religions they don’t show you everything. The Trinity is important. For the past five years, I took religion classes here. I felt like it helped me understand a lot more. Mostly, they explained the Bible. My religion teacher was really able to explain to me every detail of a passage. That would make me more intrigued.”
Ebube said he’s currently interested in becoming an electrical engineer, following the footsteps of his older brother. Ebube also has two sisters.
“I figure that I’m kind of good at math and science. Right now, my favorite subject is math,” Ebube said. “I just like problem solving, absolutely.”
Looking back at his time at St. Mary of the Hills, Ebube said he’s grateful for the impact that the school had on him, and he’s thankful for having small class sizes, with around 10 students per class.
“The teachers give us all an equal amount of time and lots of individual attention,” Ebube said. “They really try so hard. No matter what, they are always going to help you. They care about your feelings.
“I feel like I’d be a different person if I went to a different school,” he added. “I feel like I’m going to miss it. I’ll look back appreciating it for all the opportunities they’ve given me.”
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