Jonas Mason (OR2025) and I (James Bairamian, OR2025) are in our 10th month of a GAP year at Stonyhurst College as Boarding House Assistants in St Mary's Hall, the Prep school here. This is a tradition going back 30 years and even longer informally. We can't believe it's all coming to an end so soon. The year has been one of the best experiences of our lives, and we continue to make the most of everything Stonyhurst has to offer in these last few months here.

For those who don't know, Stonyhurst College is a co-educational, Jesuit school for about 700 pupils ages 3-18 in Lancashire, England. It was founded in exile in 1593 in Saint-Omer, France for the education of English Catholics during the reformation. The College has a close association with and relics of some of the House Patrons at Riverview, including St Edmund Campion, St Thomas More, St Nicholas Owen, as well as boasting 14 Saintly Martyrs of its own.

My first interaction with Stonyhurst College was through the Gappies helping at Regis in Year 5. Throughout my time at Riverview, I noticed their kind, brotherly demeanour and especially how much fun they were having. So, when the opportunity to apply came in Year 12, it was a no-brainer.

We arrived in early January with an immediate connection through a shared Catholic faith and the common experience of Jesuit education. Although geographically far apart, these traditions and values have proved a strong foundation for our work at Stonyhurst. The shared experiences of Weekly Mass, house competitions, retreats, service opportunities, prayer embedded through the day and a broader commitment to the Ignatian way of life are familiar experiences. They provided a common language and understanding that allowed us to quickly settle in.

It was great to learn that Stonyhurst had an OR teaching there. Mr Ben Powell (OR2008) is a RE teacher and playroom leader (equivalent to Housemaster) who has been a welcoming and friendly face to see around the campus. Ben follows in the footsteps of the great Mel Morrow and Larry Crouch, as well as other Jesuit and Lay teachers and pupils who have ventured between the two schools.

Highlights have been going on camps for years 3-8, Boarder's Camp and numerous sports fixtures to schools around the North of England. These have provided opportunities to get to know the boys outside the usual school environment and have been rewarding and memorable experiences.

Our day to day is bookended by Boarding. In between boarding time we help with PE lessons, teachers assisting in classrooms, work in the pre-school and many odd jobs that need doing around the school (including clearing out a whole attic!).

Equally as formative as the experience of working in this historic, Jesuit School has been what we've done out of term time. Our travels in school holidays have taken us to over a dozen countries. It's an incredible chance to travel independently, make friends and see the beauty of Europe. Notable was our first holiday in Ireland when all 12 Riverview 2025 Old Boys on GAP years in the UK got together for a one-week All-Ireland tour.

The favourite place that I visited this year was Lourdes, a Marian Shrine in the foothills of the Pyrenees in France where about 100 pupils, old boys/girls and staff from Stonyhurst go on pilgrimage every year. It was an amazing witness to faith, hope and charity as we assisted pilgrims with disabilities in their prayers for comfort and healing at the grotto at Lourdes, following in the footsteps of St Bernadette.

Looking back, the year has been incredibly rewarding, both personally and professionally, and we feel we've grown a great deal through the opportunities and responsibilities given to us. Moreover, the experience is not simply about travelling to the other side of the world or gaining work experience. It is about the people we have met the relationships we have built and the community here at Stonyhurst which will forever be an important part of our lives.

We have thoroughly enjoyed becoming part of the Stonyhurst community and are very grateful for the opportunity and support of the College, especially Fr Tom Renshaw SJ, Mark Tannock, Michael Webb and Stonyhurst to experience this year.

It was a great blessing to be visited by Fr Tom earlier in the year to allow him to see what we get up to and how it compares with the program at Riverview. The Gap Year program is an opportunity to strengthen the connections of the global Jesuit community and demonstrate that, despite differences in geography and culture, a shared set of values can bring people together.

I would encourage any boys or sons of Old Boys who think that they would enjoy this experience to apply without hesitation.

Photos are from Ireland and Lourdes and from Fr Tom's visit to Stonyhurst in April 2026.