The Valley Catholic
catholic schools
CATHOLIC EDUCATION INSPIRES
St. Mary School, Los Gatos
collects 355 coats
for Catholic Charities
St. Mary School, Los Gatos third, fifth and sixth
grade students led the entire parish in a coat drive
which yielded over 355 warm coats for clients of
Catholic Charities. The classes, along with their
teachers Magee Kennedy, Erika Freitas and Jeremiah
Clauss, planned and coordinated the project.
Students promoted the coat drive through the
parish bulletin, posters on campus, signage in morning and afternoon carlines, and by word of mouth.
Students also staffed the coat collection bins, sorted
and counted the coats.
“It is rewarding for us to know that others will
be a little warmer this winter and to see how the St.
Mary’s community responded so graciously to the
drive,” fifth grade teacher Erika Freitas said.
She noted, “The students’ positive attitude, excitement and commitment to the project were a wonderful way to make a difference in the lives of others.”
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St. Mary fifth grade teacher Erika Frietas and her class with some of the coats collected during the winter drive in January.
Bellarmine students explore
homelessness during Urban Plunge
Nine Bellarmine College Preparatory students and two faculty members spent a recent weekend exploring
issues of homelessness and affordable
housing during Bellarmine’s 42nd Urban Plunge.
Each Urban Plunge occurs over a
weekend during which students visit
a variety of local sites and hear a range
of perspectives, including those of
policy makers, shelter workers, police
officers, and people who currently are
experiencing homelessness.
Site visits include tours, conversations, meals and/or service at numerous organizations, including InnVision
Shelter Network and EHC LifeBuilders.
Bellarmine students who participated included juniors Connor Crinion, Israel Fregoso, Philip Law, Miles
Meijer, Tucker Meijer, Henry Mein,
Alex Mendoza, Dylan Taa, and senior
Brandon Wong. They were accompanied by Bellarmine faculty members
Mr. Vern Cleary and Mr. Thomas
Flowers, SJ.
“Immersion invites our students
to feel thoughtfully uncomfortable
and to let that discomfort move them
to reflection, prayer and action,” said
Flowers, a Religious Studies teacher at
Bellarmine.
“Learning about the extent of
homelessness in San Jose was both
surprising and difficult to see,” said
Connor Crinion, adding, “I think the
biggest thing I learned was that every
person has a different reason for being homeless; no single issue creates
homelessness. The hardest part of the
plunge was reconciling the excessive
community .
February 25, 2014
Bellarmine students prepare breakfast for
women and children residing at InnVision
Shelter Network