SJC student fights to save his former school

St. Bartholomew’s School (St. Bart’s) is a small Catholic school in Bethesda that teaches children from Pre-Kindergarten through 8th grade. Principal Frank English says the school’s goals include, “Build[ing] upon our strong academic program, foster[ing] healthy relationships and friendships guided by Catholic values, and strengthen[ing] communications between home and school.” St. Bart’s low student enrollment of about 150 students has put it in danger of closing. A recent graduate and current St. John’s student, Preston Hull ‘20, heard this news and took action to try and save his school. 

Hull attended St. Bart’s from first grade through eighth grade. He said, “The school along with its community has a special place in my heart because of how they act and how welcoming and caring it is. I don’t want it to shut down.” He explained that students leaving the school means that it does not have enough money to function. Because of this, he is trying to implement Minecraft: Education Edition into the school’s curriculum. He hopes this will increase enrollment, due to Minecraft being a fun game that many students are familiar with. He also hopes it will help teachers teach in a more unique and effective way, as it is a sandbox where players can learn about famous historical structures. 

Hull has received attention for his actions, as he was invited to be interviewed on Fox 5 News. In the interview, he discusses further why he is doing it and what he is doing.