Below is a personal message Dean of Student Life Manon Kuzara shared during an all-school prayer service.

I am grateful for the opportunity to share with you this morning during a Prayer Service that is very close to my heart. I want to remind all of you students that all of the teachers and staff here were once in your shoes. We were all high school students. and middle school students. I graduated from high school in 2011…so yes, if you do the math, I am old, but not as old as Dr. Glomski!

All jokes aside, I remember exactly what it feels like to see anything less than an A on my grade report (thanks to college calculus). I remember what it feels like to drop out of the top 10 in my class (thanks to college chemistry). I remember what it feels like to get a C in a college math class despite going to the math tutoring center every other day for 3 hours a day for an entire semester.
I also remember what it felt like to be told I had a stress fracture and was unable to run for the majority of my senior season of cross country. A lot of my worth and self-esteem was tied up in my identity as a runner. I had high hopes of being top 10 in the state and was on track to even maybe be in the top 5. I sat in the doctor’s office bawling and feeling like my entire world was crashing down. It was devastating. It was in those lows, those moments of feeling “not good enough” of not meeting my own very high standards that I learned a valuable lesson….

I am enough. Say this with me: “I am enough.”

You are enough just because you are you. Not because of achievements, not because of your social status or likes on social media. You are enough because you were created in the divine image and likeness.

I encourage you to remember that phrase “I am enough,” and then keep going.

Give yourself grace in the moments when you are struggling, when life is hard, and it feels like you aren’t enough. “Give yourself grace” means to treat yourself with kindness and forgiveness, especially when facing a tough challenge or after you made a mistake. Let yourself be imperfect. Accept who you are right now, stop any self-criticisms and let yourself feel your emotions.

Give yourself grace and keep going. I want to be clear that giving yourself grace does not mean giving up. It means accepting your imperfections & allowing yourself space to be an imperfect human being and then continuing to forge on the next day and be the beautiful, valuable, worthy person that you are. I can’t imagine what would have happened if I would have given up on myself after the heartbreaks I experienced in high school. Back then I could never have imagined the wonderful life I have today. There is more for you… give yourself grace, know that you are enough, and keep going.

Give yourself grace, know that you are enough, and keep going.

Thank you!

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This week we are hosting our first annual Wellness Week at Saint John’s Prep! The week prioritizes student mental health, well-being, and self-care. Faculty members, counselors, and administrators have organized a variety of fun and engaging sessions for students that include healthy lunches, morning teas, yoga, art therapy, weightlifting, improv workshops, meditation and prayer sessions, cooking lessons, and exercise sessions. We’re excited to bring our community together for a fun and meaningful week of self-care.

Wellness Week activities are made possible with support from the Gretchen Wenner Butler ’03 Wellness Fund, established following Gretchen’s passing in 2021.

Double Your Impact: Matching Gift Opportunity!

To further support mental health and wellness programming at Saint John’s Prep Put simply, your gift of any size will be doubled! We invite you to  Your gift will provide ongoing resources and support for Prep students and staff.

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Mental health and wellness are key to our students’ overall health and wellbeing. Good mental health is as important as good physical health. Diagnoses of neurodiversity, anxiety, and depression together represent the most diagnosed mental health conditions among school-age children nationally. Those diagnoses become even more prevalent during the teen years. We experience all these conditions at Saint John’s Prep. Similar to national findings, both the number and severity of mental health conditions among Prep students has risen in recent years, calling out the need for us to prioritize mental health and wellness awareness and support programs.

The Wenner family is seen above: Joe Wenner ’63, Chris Wenner ’90, Rachel Wenner Ruzanic ’95, Michelle Wenner Chestovich ’92, †Gretchen Wenner Butler ’03, and Mary Legatt Wenner.

The Gretchen Wenner Butler Student Wellness Fund, created by the Joe and Mary Wenner family (Joe ’63, Chris ’90, Michelle ’92, and Rachel ’95) and named in honor of their daughter, 2003 Prep graduate †Gretchen Wenner, will sustain and expand mental health and wellness programs at Saint John’s Prep and support mental health awareness and education. This fund will allow Prep to better support the mental health needs of Prep students and underscores our commitment to providing a holistic and supportive learning experience at Saint John’s Prep.

Student Wellness Fund Objectives

The Student Wellness Endowment Fund will:

Sustain and expand the school’s mental health programs and activities to ensure they remain accessible, comprehensive, and tailored to the diverse needs of our student body.

Support mental health awareness and education by promoting mental health literacy and fostering a culture of open dialogue around mental health.

Support wellness activities, sustaining programming that provides students, faculty, and staff with opportunities to find balance and overall wellness in their lives.

We know that mental health challenges have and continue to deeply impact many in the Prep School community. As we approach the anniversary of Gretchen’s passing (March 5, 2021), we invite you to contribute to the Gretchen Wenner Butler Student Wellness Fund in support of this important work. More than simply honoring Gretchen’s memory, your support will leave a legacy of care and support for students for years and generations to come. Together, we can make an enormous difference in the lives of current and future Prep students. 

If you would like to make a gift today or in the future, please reference the Gretchen Wenner Butler Student Wellness Fund whether you make a gift online,  with a personal check, through a donor advised fund, executing a stock transfer, or requesting a distribution from an IRA. Gifts can be mailed to Saint John’s Prep, Box 4000, 2280 Watertower Rd, Collegeville, MN 56321. 

If you have questions or would like to learn more, please contact a member of our Advancement Department at 320-363-3315.

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