In the summer of last year, a tragedy struck the community of Benet Academy. Incoming Class of 2027 student Sean Richards lost his life. His death was a tragic loss for not only Benet, but also for his parish and the surrounding community. Determined to inspire change, the Richards family founded the Love Like Sean Foundation to honor not only Sean Richards’s sterling and venerable character, but to carry on his loving legacy for others.

To assist the foundation, the Benet Academy Campus Ministry, otherwise known as the “Living In Faith and Truth” Board, organized a spirit day to commemorate the legacy of Sean Richards. Students were given the ability to wear a green top, and the opportunity to make a free-will donation of their choosing to support the Love Like Sean Foundation.

As the day progressed on Monday, it became apparent that nearly every student was wearing a green top as a sign of solidarity towards the amazing impact Sean Richards had on those around him. In some classes, over 90% of students were seen wearing this color. At the end of the day, it was announced that Benet Academy had broken a record for the most amount of money raised through a Spirit Day. The students and faculty of Benet collectively raised over $8,000 to support this noble and worthy cause.

Key to organizing this spirit day alongside the rest of the LIFT Board was junior Quinn Knox. When asked about why he assisted with this cause, he shared: “I wanted to help out the Love Like Sean Foundation, not only because Sean’s brother Finn is one of my good friends, but also so that I could allow the Benet community to honor Sean and his life, as last Sunday would have been his fifteenth birthday.” Clearly, Benet students lived in our Catholic mission to give to those in need, and they fulfilled this mission ardently through their universal support of the Love Like Sean Foundation.