Austin Prep Hosts SAVI, Students Build Beds and Connect Through Faith Across 11 Augustinian Schools

Austin Prep hosted the 2026 Student Augustinian Values Institute (SAVI) from April 9–12, welcoming 66 students and 22 chaperones from 11 Augustinian schools across North America for a four-day experience centered on faith, service, and community.

Rooted in the Augustinian values of Unitas, Veritas, and Caritas, SAVI brought students together to reflect on their faith while building relationships across schools.

Representing Austin Preparatory School were sophomores Sammy Gallant ’28 (from Middleton), Theo Goldsmith ’28 (from Winchester), Gavin Huntress ’28 (from Carlisle), Sydney Klein ’28 (from Andover), Laney Putney ’28 (from Wilmington), and Peter Trowbridge ’28 (from Burlington).

Service in Action: Building Beds for Children in Need

The institute began Thursday with student arrivals, campus tours, and a welcome session, followed by icebreakers, shared meals, and student-produced videos introducing each school community. A talk on St. Augustine and evening reflection closed out the opening day.

Friday centered on Caritas, beginning with Mass and a keynote talk before students moved into small-group discussions with peers from other schools. In the afternoon, students participated in a hands-on service project with A Bed for Every Child, an initiative of the Massachusetts Coalition for the Homeless that works to ensure every child in Massachusetts has a safe and comfortable place to sleep.

Through the Build a Bed Project, students constructed beds that will be delivered to children who lack proper sleeping arrangements.

“We want students to come together and do something meaningful through service,” said Sister Maria Gorreth Nassali, Assistant Head of School for Mission & Ministry. “Building beds is something tangible. They can see the impact of their work, and that stays with them.”

Students worked in mixed groups, assembling wooden bed frames through sanding, drilling, and bolting pieces together.

“It was such a unique experience,” said Sydney. “We just had pieces of wood and instructions, and then it came together and you’re like, ‘Whoa, we just did that.’”

“A lot of service opportunities are organizing or moving things,” added Gavin. “To actually build something and have a finished product we could present to someone was really cool.”

Sister Justine Babirye stands with Austin Prep students Gavin Huntress ’28, Peter Trowbridge ’28, and Theo Goldsmith ’28, along with visiting SAVI participant James Donohue from Cascia Hall in Tulsa, Oklahoma, after completing a Build a Bed service project in Richard J. Meelia ’67 Hall.

Building Community Through Shared Experience

Throughout the weekend, students were intentionally grouped with peers from other schools, encouraging conversation and connection.

“We had no correspondence with them before,” Gavin said. “I was a little nervous about how we were going to mesh, but it was really nice to see how much we had in common across every school.”

“We all connected immediately,” Sydney said. “We’re all from different schools, but we’re rooted in the same values, so we just kind of clicked.”

Saturday focused on Veritas and Unitas, with keynote talks and small-group discussions exploring how each school lives out Augustinian values. Students also traveled into Boston and participated in social activities, continuing to build relationships outside of structured sessions.

“I think the biggest takeaway was how similarly different we are,” Gavin said. “We all live out the same values, but in different ways at our schools.”

“We all have different programs and experiences, but we’re all under the same values,” Sydney said. “It was really interesting to see how each school lives them out day to day.”

The institute concluded Sunday with Mass and a commissioning ceremony before students departed.

Sydney Klein ’28 addresses participants during the closing ceremony of the Student Augustinian Values Institute (SAVI) at Austin Prep’s Chapel of St. Augustine in Reading, MA.

Sister Maria emphasized that hosting SAVI was both a responsibility and an opportunity for the Austin Prep community.

“It takes a village to make this happen,” she said. “From planning to welcoming guests, so many people were involved. It was a privilege to host and to share Austin Prep with students from across the country.”

For many students, the experience extended beyond the schedule.

“They build real friendships,” Sister Maria said. “Students stay in touch long after the institute ends. That sense of connection is one of the most powerful parts of this experience.”

For participants, the impact was immediate.

“Don’t take your time for granted,” Sydney said. “It went by so fast. Just take it all in and enjoy it.”

“You’ve got to get out of your shell and meet as many people as possible,” Gavin added. “There’s no do-overs, so take advantage of every moment.”

Participating schools included Austin Preparatory School (Reading, MA), Austin Catholic High School (Chesterfield, MI), Cascia Hall (Tulsa, OK), Malvern Preparatory School (Malvern, PA), Monsignor Bonner & Archbishop Prendergast Catholic High School (Drexel Hill, PA), Providence Catholic High School (New Lenox, IL), St. Augustine High School (San Diego, CA), St. Augustine Preparatory School (Richland, NJ), St. Rita of Cascia High School (Chicago, IL), Villanova Preparatory School (Ojai, CA), and Villanova College (King City, Ontario).