José de Jesus Peralta

José de Jesus Peralta came to New York City from Guatemala when he was 8 years old. A 1987 graduate of Nativity Mission Center, he attended Lasalle Academy in New York. After graduating from St. Michael’s College, Jose began his career as a teacher at St. Aloysius in Harlem. In 2002, Jose returned to Lasalle Academy where he serves as a Senior Guidance Counselor.

José de Jesus Peralta, a 1987 Nativity graduate, now serves as a guidance counselor at LaSalle Academy.

The Education that Nativity gives to those students who enter its doors is a great gift that lasts a lifetime. I am fortunate to have realized that gift at an early age. Vidal Marine, a Nativity graduate, always said. “An opportunity is Nativity’s gift to you, what you do with that opportunity is your gift to Nativity.” I was also very fortunate to have great role models like my teachers and counselors in my life.

Camp Monserrate and Nativity taught me great work ethics and gave me a foundation to be successful in life. I can honestly say that every little thing I did in camp had a purpose that would later be put to the test as soon as we came back to the city and eventually in our adult life.

Camp Monserrate broke down the rough New York City exterior and rebuilt us with compassion, positive feedback, and self-respect, as well as self-confidence to achieve anything we wanted to in life. The staff empowered us with the love and appreciation for knowledge. At the young age of 12, I had no idea how many great tools they had equipped me with in order to be successful in life. Group discussions took place every night for about an hour, in them we talked about our goals, plans and various ways in which we would be able to stay strong against any temptations that we would face during the school year. In a sense they were our game plans for anticipating any situation that would distract us from our success.

Nativity picked up where camp left off. We never missed a stride, and we often recalled our fond summer memories. During the tough school year, it was the memories of our group discussion that helped to get us through some tough times. Nativity helped to keep us in a well-structured environment while in the city. It kept us grounded. For me it was a safe haven, in which I was biding my time until summer, when I returned to camp for the rejuvenation of my spirit and soul. The neighborhood at the time was in tough shape, and Nativity’s walls protected us from all those distractions and sometimes even from the nonsense that might have been taking place in our homes.

The Camp Monserrate and Nativity Fire still dwells deeply within me, in my fond memories of camp and Nativity, in my passion for my daily work with students, parents, and fellow teachers. Not a day goes by that I don’t use those great tools they instilled in me at an early age. Robert Frost would be proud to hear that for José de Jesus Peralta, Camp Monserrate and Nativity Mission Center have made all the difference!