While being carried into the Welch Activity Center on the shoulders of his friends during the Irish 500 last spring, Max Beatty was greeted with applause and cheering from his classmates, after being introduced as the next leprechaun.

Just as the Class of 2019 passed the torch to the next class of leaders, Michael McNulty ’19 handed over his legacy to Beatty, who is ready to make his mark on this school year.

Beatty is not new to the Cathedral family. His older sister, Molly, graduated in 2018, and his mother also is a Cathedral grad.

Outspoken about his school pride, Beatty is ready to take his new role seriously. “I am honored to be able to serve a school and community that has such an extraordinary amount of history and tradition,” he said. “Now that I am leprechaun, being more involved with this school means the world to me.”

Although taking on the role of the leprechaun creates a time commitment, he is already been a part of numerous extracurriculars outside of the classroom.

Over the last three years, Beatty has been involved as a member of the tennis team, Holy Cross Council, Math League and Fishing Club. Beatty also said he is excited to be a part of the peer mentoring program this year, which allows him and his fellow mentors to help members of the Class of 2023 make smooth and successful transition into high school.

Representing the entire student body is no small task, and although it is sure to present its challenges, Beatty said he is ready to meet them head on. “My goal this year is to show up to as many after-school events as I can,” he said. “That will teach me how to manage my time better, and I also want to learn how to be more comfortable speaking to large crowds.”

A fellow classmate and friend, senior John Willey, shared his thoughts on why he thinks that Beatty was a perfect fit for the leprechaun.

“I believe Max embodies the spirit of Cathedral,” Willey said. “He represents the school’s Holy Cross core values well, and also connects with the student body. He is a friend to everyone and already shows school pride by attending as many sports games as he can.”

As both a peer mentor and the leprechaun, Beatty is quickly assuming a leadership role, and he wants to encourage his fellow seniors to do the same throughout the school year.

“We are supposed to be the leaders of the student body,” Beatty said. “We need to lead by a positive and encouraging example for the other classes this year. It’s our last year of high school, and we need to make the most of it.”

As soon as he first learned that he would be the next leprechaun, Beatty said he forgot about any doubts he might have had for stepping up into his new role. “I originally remember thinking about how much of a time commitment it would be,” he said.

However, when the news became official, his worries disappeared as he began to visualize the next chapter of his high school career. “I am very excited for this opportunity, because Cathedral means much to me and to be a part of something much bigger than myself will make my high school experience all the better,” he said.