Salvatore Bonasia ‘22
As another year comes to an end, Salesian says goodbye to the graduating Class of 2021 as they go on in life to pursue the bigger things in life that the world had to offer to them. While there are plenty of these fine young men who have accomplished many grandeur achievements, one, in particular, had taken on many clubs at once and is the Chief of this very Spectator, Sherquan Dailey. Sherquan has proven himself to be an exemplary student by being a part of the National Honors Society, Student Government, Multicultural Club, and Youth Ministry, while also managing a publication. His efforts should not go unnoticed! He takes pride in each issue the Spectator produces.
When the Spectator was just starting up, Sherquan took the initiative and stepped up as Editor-in-Chief, but since he was the first one, it came down to him to figure out what to do, how to go about it. When asked if he felt prepared when he took this position, he stated:
“Even though I had leadership experience from other student-led organizations, I was most definitely not prepared for the role… I had to teach myself how to navigate the areas of the publication and relay what I learned to the other members.”
This allowed him to establish a proper grounding for the Spectator and himself. He is proud of the progression and success of the newspaper since when he first started off, there were no views and no one even knew the newspaper was an actual club. Fast forward two years later, the newspaper has grown immensely in staff members and viewers, and all under the leadership of Sherquan.
When the editors come together and put in the hard work that comes with our roles for every issue, we are grateful for Sherquan’s initiatives in regards to terms of advice, editing techniques, and support whether personal or professional. He states in his interview that, “seeing members of the Spectator come together as a collective to contribute to each respective issue” is what makes his leadership all worthwhile. He also mentioned that one of his proudest issues was the June 2020 issue that was specifically focused on the racial injustices within our country. He adds:
“I was so proud of how fast the Salesian Community came together in support, especially the families, faculty, and our administration. Moments like such made my tenure worthwhile.”
It’s no secret that Sherquan is well known amongst both the senior class and the student-led organizations that he partakes in. It is agreed that he does an outstanding job with his leadership roles. As the humble man he is, when asked how he thinks he did, he responds with:
“I believe that there is always room for improvement in every area, however, I believe that I did what was necessary to get the Spectator off the ground. My major goal was getting the Salesian Spectator to the level of Student Government, Multicultural Club, and Youth Ministry. Now it is up to the next group to continue what we started.”
As much as he would never admit it, he overdid himself and successfully achieved his overall goal of establishing a proper tone for the Spectator in the Salesian community.
As much as we commend Sherquan for all his hard work and dedication to the Spectator, we can not forget about his guiding hand throughout his entire term as Editor-In-Chief, Mr. Bruno. Mr. Bruno had been with Sherquan before the club was even officially established, and Bruno walked Sherquan through everything because he saw all the potential that Sherquan could bring to his soon-to-be club. Sherquan tells the story of how Bruno helped him to become what he is today within the Spectator. He says:
“Back in November of 2019 after mourning the painful death of one of my childhood friends, I was ready to call it quits on the Spectator. Mr. Bruno was very understanding but he said no. He told me he’d give me two months to get back in tune, and if I still felt the same way then would he accept my resignation. Mr. Bruno knew my potential to change the dynamics of the publication way before I discovered it myself. Had he given up on me at that time I would not be here today. As teachers and mentors, a great portion of the job is making sure your students see and understand their potential.”
Mr. Bruno was a major influence on Sherquan’s leadership in the Spectator, as he did so much for him, even teaching Sherquan to do the same for us editors and writers.
As Sherquan embarks on his future, we wonder what kind of legacy he hopes to uphold as he leaves Salesian High. From day one, Sherquan had always intended for the Spectator to be a place where the Salesian community can be seen, felt, and heard, along with being able to show off the talents of the young men at Salesian. Sherquan then proceeds to say:
“I want the spectator to be a place of abundance where young leaders can continue to blossom and embody leadership in the true Salesian manner.”
Last Saturday, June 5th, Salesian hosted their annual Graduation Ceremony, and there had been the distribution of many prestigious awards, such as the Silver Eagle. The outstanding men that received the Silver Eagle Award were Christopher Hart, Joao Lopes, and last, but certainly not least, Sherquan Dailey. Along with this award, Sherquan was also the inaugural recipient of the George Javier Memorial Award. When asked about how he felt receiving such honorary awards, Sherquan responds with:
“Mr. J means everything to me. He was the first person I met at Salesian 4 years ago and he immediately made me feel welcomed. During that time period my father was moving overseas and he entrusted Mr. J to look after me and that is exactly what he did. He embraced me as equally as he shoved me out of my comfort zone to experience Salesian in a unique and different light. I cannot thank him enough for introducing me to a fantastic group of teachers, mentors, and peers, who have become my family. It is the utmost honor and privilege to be the recipient of his award. In the same light I am honored, humbled, and grateful to join Chris and Joao, along with 36 other chapters of Silver Eagle recipients. I cannot wait to see and champion behind the next generation of recipients just as Mr. J did for me.”
His moving story with his relationship with Mr. J should inspire others to pursue these kinds of awards and push themselves to be the best version of themselves, just as Mr. J would have wanted all of us.
As a recipient, we asked Sherquan if he had any advice for his peers who are aspiring to achieve such reputable distinctions, he emphasizes strongly, “STAY HUMBLE always!” He talks about Salesian’s amazing attributes of how it gives each and every student a chance to “shine, excel, and become the best version of ourselves.” We should always stand by our ideas while supporting and considering the ideas that our peers bring to the table as well. Throughout our years at Salesian, there’s always someone noticing us and following along because we set the example for every incoming class that follows the next. Sherquan gives us some insight on the best ways to communicate as a leader, such as watching what we say and how we say it, along with staying on the same level as those you are helping when providing constructive criticism. Sherquan concludes this interview with a final piece of advice:
“At the end of the day I want my Salesian peers to breed the concept that once we all thrive, Salesian thrives. That is how the brotherhood will continue to flourish.”
We should all learn from not only his example, but from the countless young men that have proven themselves as leaders of the school and soon of the world they are stepping into.
The Salesian Spectator 