For Jack Clinton, a member of the Class of 2026 at St. Vincent Pallotti High School in Laurel, Maryland, attending the coeducational Catholic high school established by the Pallottine Sisters enhanced his already strong Catholic faith.
“My faith has only grown during my four years at Pallotti. I was an altar server all four years and enjoyed the annual spiritual retreats that we went on as a class,” he said. “Additionally, the faith and compassion that my teachers, faculty, and coaches showed on a daily basis were acknowledged and appreciated.”
The son of Patrick Clinton and Nicole Lynch of Silver Spring, Maryland, Clinton and his family attend St. John the Evangelist Parish.
“I have been very involved with St. John the Evangelist. I was baptized, received First Communion, and was confirmed there,” he said. “I attended St. John the Evangelist School from kindergarten to eighth grade and participated in soccer, basketball, and track at the CYO level.”
At Pallotti, he participated in many Masses as crucifer or flagbearer. He was also a four-year member of the school’s soccer team and also ran cross country and indoor/outdoor track.
“My time playing sports all three seasons at Pallotti in addition to club soccer really enhanced my high school experience,” he said. He added that soccer coach Tye Tolliver “pushed from day one that if you get the grades, you will be successful in life beyond soccer. That really stuck with me and … I also found that being busy with sports and other activities really helped me focus my limited time on academics.”
In addition to sports, Clinton was a standout in the classroom and was “proud and grateful” to be inducted into the National Honor Society. He said it is impossible to pick out a favorite teacher or class because “they all helped mold my skills and prepare me for college in one way or another.”
His education at Pallotti, he said, was also enhanced by fellow students.
“I've been really blessed to meet and be mentored by older students at Pallotti that helped me see grades as something to compete for, similar to sports, and it's really paid off for me,” he said.
After graduation, Clinton will continue his Catholic education as a student at St. Joseph’s University in Philadelphia. He will attend the private Jesuit-sponsored school on a merit scholarship and will pursue a major in finance in the honors program there with the goal of eventually landing a career in investment banking, venture capital, or the private equity field.
As he looks to his future, Clinton is grateful for the Catholic education afforded him by his parents. “I'd also like to thank my parents for investing in my education: ‘Thank you mom and dad’,” he said.
