'TEACHERS CARE' AND 'IT FEELS LIKE A FAMILY'

Share this article with a friend.

September 30, 2025

For information on admission to Notre Dame Prep, please click here.

Jack Kushuba NDP’34 shows what it means to grow in faith, serve others with joy, and lead by example — all as a fourth grader in Notre Dame Prep’s lower school.

“I’ve learned that Jesus teaches us to treat others how we would like to be treated and to be forgiving,” Kushuba says. “I treat people kindly through my words and actions, and I also forgive when mistakes happen. My faith has grown because I’ve learned the importance of prayer and that I can always turn to God in times of need.”

Now in his fifth year at NDP, Kushuba brings those lessons into his everyday life. “At school we’re taught to be kind and helpful. I always bring up our neighbors’ empty trash cans after pickup. They seem to appreciate it, and I like that I can help.”

In second grade, Kushuba tackled a big project that made a lasting impression. “I had to spend a lot of time on an animal habitat diorama. It took research, creativity and a lot of work — but I was proud to have it displayed.”

This year, he joined the cross country team. “It’s something I can do with my friends. I represent an NDP team, and it makes me feel good to be active and part of something.”

Even simple acts of kindness reflect the values he’s learned. “One time I held the door open for an older woman who noticed my uniform. I was proud to tell her I go to NDP.”

Kushuba says he loves NDP because “our teachers care, it feels like a family, and everyone gets along.” His advice to new students: “Once you start here, you’ll never want to leave.”

For information on admission to Notre Dame Prep, please click here.

Comments or questions? mkelly@ndpma.org

About Notre Dame Preparatory School
"At Notre Dame Prep, we inspire our students to become the best versions of themselves. We challenge them through an experience of academic excellence, focused on active, project-based learning. We invite them to explore a world of opportunities beyond the classroom. We guide them as they grow in spirituality within a community strong in its Catholic and Marist identity."

Notre Dame Preparatory School is a private, Catholic, independent, coeducational day school located in Oakland County. Notre Dame Preparatory School's upper school enrolls students in grades nine through twelve and has been named one of the nation's best 50 Catholic high schools (Acton Institute) four times since 2005. Notre Dame Prep's middle and lower schools enroll students in pre-kindergarten through grade eight. All three schools are International Baccalaureate "World Schools." NDP is conducted by the Marist Fathers and Brothers and is accredited by the Independent Schools Association of the Central States and the National Association of Independent Schools. For more on Notre Dame Preparatory School, visit the school’s home page at www.ndpma.org.