Every year Jesuit High School Sacramento hosts Shadow Days when middle-school students can “shadow” a current Jesuit student to learn what a typical day at Jesuit is like. The impact it leaves remains long after the day is over, and for some Jesuit students, the impact still remains.

Director of Admissions Mr. Matthew Ramos ’05 appreciates the value that Shadow Days provide to prospective students.

“Because Jesuit is a private Catholic school – and [an] all boys school – it is a unique experience, and a high school decision that doesn’t just have you choosing what’s in your districts,” Mr. Ramos said. “The opportunity to see the campus and make that formative decision that you have in your life is just an extra opportunity to solidify that decision you may already have.”

For Will Fuller ’24, shadowing reinforced his desire to become a Marauder and showed him more of what makes Jesuit special.

“It just made me appreciate Jesuit more,” Will said. “I always wanted to come here, obviously, but it made me appreciate the campus, made me appreciate how much people love it and how much people want you to come here.”

Brennan Harmatz ’26 is grateful for the atmosphere and the welcoming community that was present at his Shadow Day.

“It was exciting – I was in a new environment I hadn’t been in before – it was good to see all the activities going on here before I went here,” Brennan said. “All the people here that I met during my Shadow Day were really nice, they showed me around and taught me things.”

Mr. Ramos highlights how Shadow Days are important for prospective students because they can see what to expect in high school.

“Eighth grade to high school is a big transition, so having the ability to go check out the school, see what the classroom setting is like, meet some of the students on campus, build a relationship with a student that you know on campus is pivotal not only to making a high school decision but to understanding what you want out of high school,” Mr. Ramos said. 

Shadow Days, which will continue through Jan. 11, leave a lasting impact on the participants who shadow, so let’s make them feel welcomed as they experience the brotherhood for the first time.