Celebrating 10 years of Coed

With the 60th Anniversary of Damien Memorial School being celebrated, there's another anniversary that should be recognized and that's the 10 years of Damien opening up their doors to coed back in 2012. With the 2022-2023 school year in motion, let's take a trip down memory lane and see what Damien was like with former student, Alumni and now chemistry teacher, Christina Andres.

When it comes to Damien for Ms. Andres, things just aren’t the same for her, “I remember there was concrete where the lawn between the 200 and 300 building is, and there were thick beige walls where the glass windows now sit in the cafeteria.” Although these changes were something new to Andres, there are still a lot of familiar faces and recognizable feelings that Andres remembers from her time at Damien in 2012. The uniforms aren’t so different from what they are now too. According to Star Advertiser, Damien was ready to implement a khaki skirt to the purple shirt we all know today.

Ever since she became a teacher here at her own Alumni, she has enjoyed teaching the students and educating them in chemistry. “It's definitely a little surreal being on the other end” is what Andres said when she was asked how it feels to be a teacher at Damien. 

Being a student at Damien felt memorable to Andres, “ I think the most memorable parts of high school always involved developing bonds with my peers and teachers, like throwing water balloons senior year, having potlucks with my classmates, and quoting "what you egg!" in class.” 

When asked how it felt being part of the first graduating coed class she had this to say, “Back then, I didn't really feel the full impact of being part of the first co-ed class (mostly because I was concerned with graduating and planning for college and my future). Now, as I self-reflect, I think about how momentous it really was to have been a woman graduating in a school that was initially closed off to females.” Andres said that she and other girls alongside her felt nervous going to a male-dominated school but overtime she warmed up and adjusted “pretty well” from her Freshman year to Senior year. She was among 64 girls entering Damien in 2012 according to HNN.

For someone like Andres who has been associated with Damien for a long time, she wishes that there was one particular thing that the students should have when she was here and that’s access to an open library. “I think it would be nice to have access to an open library since there was one when I was at Damien.” is what Andres said when she was asked what should be improved here at Damien. A library was mentioned to be in planning in an article by HNN along with new buildings such as athletic facilities.

With Ms. Andres being at Damien once again but as teacher is a little “surreal” to her, she enjoys teaching her students at Damien, even the ones who clowns around, and wants to see them succeed academically and watch them thrive in their future and their profession.