Tekakwitha House At-A-GlanceTek Cheer

 Patron: St. Kateri Tekakwitha
 Color: Yellow
 Motto: Jesos Konoronkwa (Mohawk)
 Translation: Jesus, I Love You
 Virtues: Unshakeable Faith and Fortitude
 Great Crux Champions: 2022

The History of Tekakwitha House

Tekakwitha House (often referred to as Tek or K-Tek House) is named for St. Kateri Tekakwitha. St. Kateri Tekakwitha is represented in our chapel in a beautiful stained glass window along the north wall.

In the 2018-19 school year, Ms. Ashley Groves was named the first dean of Tekakwitha House. The following year saw a few changes, one of the most significant being the institution of School Captains, one student from each house chosen to represent the student body and help the house deans. Sam Edwards was the first School Captain for Tekakwitha House, elected in the 2019-2020 school year. In the 2020-2021 school year, Ms. Groves replaced Fr. Paul as the Director of Houses.

Tekakwitha House Deans

  • Mr. Dan Spitzley, 2020-present
  • Ms. Ashley Groves, 2018-2020

Tekakwitha House School Captains

  • Cady Kooney, 2022-23
  • Jonah Richards, 2021-22
  • Alyjah Montemayor, 2020-21
  • Sam Edwards, 2019-20

The Tekakwitha House Crest

TekakwithaThe crest was created by the students of Tekakwitha House during the 2018-19 school year, and was first presented to the community during the last mass with the seniors of 2019. Inspired by the life and witness of St. Kateri Tekakwitha, the crest is bordered in gradient yellow, our house color. The acanthus leaves match the color of beads used in the Chaplet of St. Kateri: brown (representing Earth and creation), red (representing love and sacrifice), and white/crystal (representing beauty and purity). The phrase at the bottom of our crest reads in Mohawk, “Jesos Konoronkwa” which is translated, “Jesus, I love you,” the last words that Kateri said. The top of the crest is lettered “UNSHAKEABLE FAITH AND FORTITUDE.” As a house, we strive to imitate her devotion, even amidst persecution and trial.

The Tekakwitha House Crest is very unique, in that all four quadrants display a single image. The water washing on the shore in the background of the cells represents her love of nature, as well as her purity and vow of chastity. It also ties into her travels along waterways to escape persecution of her Catholic faith. The dominant image is of a turtle, with a lily on the shell. The turtle reminds us that her Mohawk clan was the “Turtle Clan,” of which her father was the chief. She is also referred to as “The Lily of the Mohawks” because of her purity, beauty, and devotion to God.