Schools teach students to serve their communities during Catholic Schools Week

By Tanya Connor | The Catholic Free Press

Catholic schools scheduled a variety of types of service and people to serve for Catholic Schools Week last week, but winter weather changed or extended some plans.
St. Bernard Elementary School in Fitchburg titled Jan. 29 “Celebrating Bernardian Charity” and included a Haitian Outreach Project assembly, Deacon John and Pauline Aliskevicz spoke about this ministry of theirs. In the past, St. Bernard’s students have packed backpacks for them to send for students in Haiti, but this year raised $523 through a “Casual for a Cause” out-of-uniform day, the school reported.
St. Anna Elementary School in Leominster rescheduled Catholic Schools Week service projects for this past Monday. The school asked for $1 or more to support Ginny’s Helping Hand, a local food pantry and thrift store. As of Tuesday, the money was still being collected. Different classes also chose their own service projects.
Trinity Catholic Academy in Southbridge celebrated the 250th birthday of the United States by allowing students to wear “patriotic colors” with a donation to support the Veterans Council of Southbridge. The school reported that $1,010 was raised. Students in the top three fundraising classes – grades two, four, five – were rewarded with a chance to throw pie at Angela Symock, the principal; Mrs. Michelle Aronson, fifth-grade teacher, and Father Peter P. Bui, associate pastor of St. John Paul II Parish in Southbridge.
Assumption Elementary School in Millbury and St. Aloysuis Catholic School in Gilbertville collected donations for Visitation House in Worcester, which provides a home to pregnant women in need and their children.
For Celebrating the Nation Day, St. Aloysius students could “accessorize their uniforms with red, white and blue,” which brought in $80, and they also contributed requested items for the Massachusetts Veterans Home at Holyoke, the school reported.
St. Aloysius also reported filling six to eight catering trays of snacks for first responders, town offices, the post office, and two libraries.
All Saints Academy in Webster is continuing its collection of snacks to distribute to first responders.
Students at St. Leo Elementary School in Leominster were asked to write letters to first responders, nursing homes and other community groups, with each classroom choosing the group to which they would write.
St. Peter Central Catholic Elementary School in Worcester reported that students were still collecting soup and socks this week: soup for St. Peter Parish’s food pantry, and socks for the outreach at St. John Parish.
Service projects at Our Lady of the Valley Regional School in Uxbridge were ongoing because of the weather-related cancellation and delay. Students in grades 5-8 were competing to see which class could bring in the most new pairs of socks for the Blackstone Valley Emergency Shelter and a Milford shelter. Students from pre-kindergarten through grade four were making Valentine’s Day decorations for the Uxbridge Senior Center and Lydia Taft House, a rehabilitation and skilled nursing center in Uxbridge.
Students at St. Mary Elementary School in Shrewsbury collected 10-12 garbage-size bags of clothing for Veterans Inc. last week, the school reported.
St. Paul Diocesan Jr./Sr. High School in Worcester collected items for Blessing Bags for the Mustard Seed soup kitchen throughout January and extended its collection. Each grade was given specific items to contribute, including hand sanitizer, socks and gloves, and all grades could bring in coats for adults.
Holy Family Academy in Gardner taught about service, which is performed at other times of the year, with “Hands that Help Day.” Instead of uniforms, students could wear “something symbolizing helping people,” such as dressing like a saint, teacher, doctor, nurse or “family member who has been helpful to you.”