“Writer Swap” is a collaboration with the newspaper of San Juan Diego Catholic High School in Austin, Texas. We will work with their editors to hear stories and traditions from their school and see the differences in our Holy Cross institutions.
At San Juan Diego Catholic High School, faith and religion are key pillars in our everyday lives. As a young school in our 24th year, one of our ongoing challenges and goals has been to shape lasting traditions that reflect both our faith and sense of community. That is why, in the 2024–2025 school year, the National Honor Society (NHS) seniors brought an idea that was first pitched in 2010 to reality: the Garden of Hope.
Originally an empty space at the back of the school, it is now a place for reflection, prayer, and peace dedicated to the Virgen de Guadalupe. The project was officially launched in the spring of 2025 through leadership from NHS, with collaboration from the student body and ABC Home & Commercial Services. In the weeks leading up to construction, students were invited to stay after school on multiple days to help prepare the space. This included clearing out grass, deconstructing old planter beds, and digging out areas for new ones. These efforts laid the groundwork for ABC’s contribution, as they provided materials, labor, and construction support to build the prayer space and platform for the Mary statue over the course of a weekend. Through both student involvement and community support, what had once been an overlooked area became a meaningful space rooted in unity, faith, and shared effort.
Building on this foundation, the current NHS seniors are continuing that legacy through the creation of a legacy pathway leading into the garden. This next step has two main goals. First, it aims to bring greater visibility to the prayer garden so more students are encouraged to visit, reflect, and spend time there. Second, it will serve as a lasting space where families, faculty, staff, and donors can leave their mark on the school for years to come. Like the original project, students will again be invited to participate in the process. Over the course of three after school work days, students will prepare the area by clearing grass, leveling the ground, and laying base materials before completing the pathway with bricks and mulch.
As San Juan Diego continues to grow as a school, community, and faith-centered environment, projects like the Garden of Hope show how traditions here are formed over time. Being a relatively young school, many of the spaces and practices that define our culture are still actively shaped by current students, meaning our traditions are not distant history, but something actively being built. This is reflected in the way students contribute to shared spaces, take ownership of ideas, and strengthen the sense of community that future classes will inherit. The garden itself reflects this idea: it was never meant to end with one graduating class, but instead to remain an ongoing project that future students can continue to build upon, deepening its meaning within the school community.
While the space is already meaningful, it is still continuing to develop. The garden currently includes six benches set on gravel and several planter beds that are in the process of being filled. As part of this year’s efforts, students are working to bring the “garden” aspect to life by planting flowers (primarily roses) to create a more welcoming and vibrant environment. Tucked away on campus, the goal is to transform it into a space that draws students in rather than goes unnoticed.
The Garden of Hope now stands as a space for both individual reflection and shared community prayer. While it offers students a place for personal spiritual peace, it also has the potential to bring people together in a space rooted in faith and dedication. Although it has not yet been widely used, upcoming additions and events aim to change that. In the first week of May, the school will celebrate the unveiling of the legacy pathway with the May Crowning, honoring the Virgen de Guadalupe and marking another step in the continued growth of this living project. As more students begin to spend time there, whether during lunch, free periods, or future class activities, the Garden of Hope will continue to grow not just as a space, but as a lasting tradition.
