Before school, most students use the little time they have to get ready, gather their materials, and rush to campus. But from 7:50 to 8:20 a.m., a dedicated group of students starts their morning in a different way. Inside one of the school buildings, they gather to drink orange juice, eat doughnuts, and recite prayers. This is the Catholic Club, also known as Sodality, with the sponsor being journalism teacher Jack Stenger. At a school as large and diverse as North Atlanta High School, which serves roughly 2,300 students from many different backgrounds, Sodality offers a place for spiritual reflection and community. The club typically meets just before major breaks or holidays. Past gatherings have taken place near spring break, Halloween, and Thanksgiving, giving members a chance to pause, reconnect, and center themselves before the busy weeks ahead.
Junior Gwyneth Ferguson has been a committed member of Sodality since her freshman year. After writing about her Catholic faith for a Journalism 1 assignment, her teacher and Sodality sponsor, Jack Stenger, returned the paper with a poster advertising the club’s next meeting. Before coming to North Atlanta High School, she attended Christ the King, a Catholic elementary and middle school located beside a cathedral. She says that having Sodality on campus made her transition to a larger high school far easier by providing a familiar space grounded in faith. The community she found there is what keeps her engaged and she hopes the club continues to grow so more students can share in that same sense of belonging. “It’s important for me to represent a religion that is near and dear to my heart,” Ferguson said.
When junior Hannah Gray first noticed the striking Sodality posters around campus advertising a meeting before Thanksgiving break, she immediately felt compelled to attend. The club’s openness to both Catholics and students of other faith traditions stood out to her, especially as a Methodist who regularly attends North Point Community Church. Gray participates in morning services with her family and spends her evenings in a youth group where many of her closest friends are involved. Much of Gray’s spiritual life traces back to her years at Valor Christian Academy in Alpharetta, Georgia, where faith-based community was deeply connected into everyday experience. She says that Sodality offers a similar sense of belonging, making the transition into the club feel natural. After attending her first meeting, she quickly decided she plans to keep coming back. “Spending quality time with people who share your faith is a refreshing way to start your day,” Gray said.
Senior Elizabeth Nilson, a devout Catholic, says one of the most meaningful parts of the recent Sodality meeting was the prayer box. The box, situated outside Stenger’s classroom in room 5161, offers students an anonymous space to share their thoughts, prayers, and reflections within the school community. Nilson explained that reading those reflections helped everyone recognize that, despite challenges, there is always something to be grateful for. She attended the meeting with her brother, sophomore John Nilson, which she says made the experience even more meaningful. Looking ahead, she is optimistic about Sodality’s future and hopes to see the club continue to grow. “It would be great if we collaborated with other cultural clubs in the future,” Nilson said.
With a new semester beginning, and collaboration in the foresight of Sodality’s leaders minds, the club will continue to be a staple of faith for devout students.
