AT SERVITE HIGH SCHOOL, the mission of forming boys into faith-filled men and future leaders begins even before the student sits at a desk and opens a book.
The process begins with the question: “Who are you?”
The answer begins to come into focus through an immersive two-day character-building experience known as “Freshman Formation Weekend.”
On July 19 and 20, from the crack of dawn to the onset of darkness, 206 first-time Friars were challenged physically and mentally, participating in activities designed to push boundaries, emphasize brotherhood and build character, laying a solid foundation for their time at Servite.
Formation Weekend also lays a spiritual foundation, helping students foster a Christ-centered identity. Formation centers around four unifying themes to be embraced by students, faculty, coaches, staff, parents and alumni:
Primacy of faith, mastery of self, necessity of the other and centrality of Christ.
Senior Parker Buetow, a Servite Friar since freshman year, said necessity of the other is the theme that has impacted him the most.
“I think this one’s very integral in my life because I really rely on my closest friends here at Servite to help me with schoolwork that I might find challenging,” Buetow said. “If I’m having problems with classes, I can always go talk to them and they’re always there to support me.” Buetow said he has talked to Servite graduates who continue to rely on this theme in their lives.
Cole Grothues is one of many Servite freshmen who are following in their family’s footsteps to attend the all-boys Catholic school.
Tapping into the experiences of his father, Eric, a 1989 Servite graduate, and brother Chris, a 2022 graduate, Grothues said he was encouraged to work hard in school, get good grades, listen to teachers, principals and coaches, and avoid getting into trouble.
“They said to keep my grades up and always talk to my teachers about schoolwork,” Grothues said.
Freshman Emiliano Anzo Andrade received valuable advice from his brother Marco Antonio, who graduated in 2023.
“He said always have fun in the formations,” Andrade said. “It’s a hard, difficult school. It might be tough, but you’ll get there.”
Andrade is looking forward to experiencing other Servite traditions, which have come to distinguish Servite from other schools. Among the most notable is the “asylum,” the moniker given to the student section in attendance at Servite sporting events.
Ranked by OC Varsity as the top student section in the county in two of the past three years, the asylum is a show in and of itself, aside from whatever game is being contested.
OC Varsity reporter Manny Alvarez, who ranks the top student sections in the county, wrote that Servite’s asylum is a dynasty and went “way over the top” in 2024-25. “They lassoed a horse, they parted the sea, they had a roller coaster, they won a boxing match by way of knockout and they had the mascot from the Anaheim Ducks show up,” Alvarez wrote.
As a member of the Friars soccer team, Buetow said time management has been one of the most important attributes he’s come to master at Servite.
“Being a student-athlete here has been challenging because I have to honor my academic and athletic commitments,” Buetow said. “But it’s also been an opportunity
for me to develop those skills for the future in college and beyond.”
David Hill, dean of students and a Servite alum, said he felt strongly about coming back to serve the school that helped shape the person he is today.
“There’s a formative process that takes place with our guys in terms of getting them focused on the values that they’re going to attain while they’re here, and in addition to that, what they’re going to use for the rest of their life,” Hill said. “It’s real intentional. Our entire freshman class goes through a formational process to understand the value of Servite, the history of Servite, the expectations of Servite, the spiritual growth that you’re going to experience here as well and this idea of what true brotherhood really is all about.”