Mount Carmel’s Brightest Shine

At the University of Chicago

October 7, 2005

Chicago – About 30 seconds before the bell rings at Mount Carmel High School, students are found scrambling through the hallways, doing whatever they have to do in order to make it to class on time.

Some speed up the stairwell from the first to the third floor, some jet across campus to the Convocation Center and some are found bobbing and weaving their way through the first floor.

But when Caravan seniors Ryan Durkin and Phil Sherlock hurry to class, they have much more to contend with than a few extra stairs or a logjam of students. And once class begins, they definitely have much more pressure on them than the average Mount Carmel student- or any other student at any other high school, for that matter.

Durkin and Sherlock, along with fellow senior Ian Secviar, are Mount Carmel’s three representatives in the University of Chicago Scholars Program. The students are enrolled in one course each at the University of Chicago, and they actually leave Mount Carmel during the school day two days per week, making the five-minute commute to the U of C for class.

Courses are free of charge and the credits are transferable to all colleges and universities across the nation. Even better, Secviar, Durkin and Sherlock are surrounded in class by regular college students from the U of C.

“This is an incredible opportunity for me because I get a unique preview of what college is like, way ahead of time,” said Durkin, a Mount Greenwood resident and St. Christina graduate. “The University of Chicago is one of the greatest universities in the nation. It’s a huge adjustment for me in that regard.”

Durkin, a history enthusiast, is taking Classics in Social and Political Thought. Sherlock, a Beverly resident and St. John Fisher alumnus, is in Power Identity and Resistance. Both courses are in the Social Sciences Department.

“The reading is incredibly in-depth. This is the most dense literature I’ve ever come across,” Sherlock said. “The class is discussion-based, and we’re expected to present our own arguments and then debate with others.

“The first day was a bit intimidating being in a class with a college professor and 25 other college students. But Ian and I have definitely established ourselves. We definitely add to the discussion. I knew I was prepared. I have never had a night at Mount Carmel in which I didn’t go home and work hard.”

Both Durkin and Sherlock were quick to point out how their classes at Mount Carmel have prepared them to succeed in these advanced college courses.

“There are 22 intelligent people in my class, and they all have unique perspectives because they all come from different backgrounds,” Durkin said. “Really, Carmel is a microcosm of the U of C. At Carmel, you go to school with all types of people from all over the Chicagoland area. The U of C is equally diverse, just on a much larger scale. The students are from all over the country and the world.”

Debating issues in history and politics have always been a passion of Durkin, who anchors Mount Carmel’s defensive line on the football team at nose guard. This is a student who eats, breathes and sleeps history.

“Ryan is one of the most knowledgeable students I’ve ever come across as far as grasping historical ideas,” said Bill Nolan, who taught Durkin his sophomore year in Honors World Civilization. “He was well-read way beyond his years and he had a passion for history that you just don’t find in most high school students.”

Durkin was so advanced for his age that he scored a five on his sophomore AP World History exam, the highest possible score for a high school student.

“I had to learn all the material for that exam by a certain date,” Durkin said. “This was excellent preparation for me, because Carmel taught me the art of independent studying. I can completely rely on myself to learn and master material, and that pays off in a college course.”

Sherlock has also taken Mount Carmel by storm with his intelligence and drive. In addition to high marks in the classroom, he is one of two senior leaders on the Caravan hockey team and he honorably serves as President of the Student Council.

In only the first two months of his term, Sherlock is solely responsible for three notable accomplishments. He has revived The Chronicle, a newsletter for the entire Student Body, he has passed a motion to play music in school hallways during passing periods on Fridays and he has formed the Caravan Crush, a Student Spirit group that hopes to be a supportive force at athletic events.

Sherlock hopes to be on the campus of Ivy-League member Brown University next year. Durkin is pondering the U of C, Illinois, Iowa, Amherst or William and Mary.

“I just love Mount Carmel on so many different levels,” Sherlock said. “I have very strong classroom relationships with the teachers and students.

“People around here talk about it all the time, but the family atmosphere around Carmel is so prevalent. People are very unified here, and there is no such thing as an outcast. Nobody is left behind. We always move forward as a group.”

Contact Info:

Matt Kellam, Director of Communication
P: 773-324-1020  x245
F: 773-324-2468
Email: mkellam@mchs.org