The Valley Catholic
catholic schools
February 3, 2015
11
Saint Lawrence Academy Students Encounter Faculty in the Forest
Find Their Teachers Providing Parallel Community Service
For high school students, a faculty
in-service day means no classes and
perhaps a day to catch up on community
service hours. Such was the case for at
least three Saint Lawrence Academy
students on January 9, when they were
at Our City Forest planting trees and
discovered that their teachers were
there too.
“It was surprising to see our teachers
show up to where we were doing community service,” remarked student Daniel Romano. “It’s good to know that’s
what they do on their in-service day.”
Working in the forest is not what
they do on all of their in-service days,
of course, but January 9 was special. The
entire Saint Lawrence Academy faculty
and staff, 39 people, had gathered at
school at 8:30 that morning for opening
prayer in an exercise parallel to what
their students experience. Following the
model of reflect/act/reflect, they then
moved in two groups to Sacred Heart
Community Services and to Our City
Forest to engage in community service
projects at each agency. The objectives
were to be of service to the local community by meeting direct needs and
also to build community among staff
through prayer and service.
At Sacred Heart, faculty participants
separated into two groups: 1) warehouse
work, doing bagging and sorting, and 2)
clothing closet, organizing and assisting
families with shopping.
At Our City Forest, participants
separated into three groups: 1) hauling
a 40x60 feet compost pile to nearby forest for fertilization via wheel barrels;
]2) nursery weeding and putting down
tanbark; and 3) green house work.
The work completed at each agency
met a direct need, either of the agency or
in the greater community. As for building community among Saint Lawrence
Academy faculty and staff, responses
indicated that everyone spoke with and
worked more closely with colleagues
they had not had the opportunity to
spend quality time among during the
school day. Back at school during reflection time, they shared experiences
one-on-one and in the large group.
“Before we started, we prayed together at school and [Campus Minister]
Marty Argenti asked us to reflect during
our service about how God is speaking
to each of us in this moment,” recalled
staff member Judy Homen. “We had to
stop and listen, and what came to me
was fulfillment.”
“I didn’t want to leave Sacred Heart,”
said Marie Reid. “They kept telling me
it was time to leave, and I didn’t want to
go because there was more to do.”
Students understand. They have
experienced the same feelings in their
own community service projects.
“It’s good to see our teachers and
faculty members take time to help the
environment on their teacher in-service
Saint Lawrence Academy faculty members,
Anne Bertron, Elise Haines, and Sister
Peggy Hurley worked together to help distribute tanbark while volunteering at Our
City Forest.
day,” observed student Anthony Aguilera.
“Several people on staff have asked
if we can do this sort of thing once
each semester,” said Associate Campus
Minister Yaya Morales. “We’ll certainly
consider it.
South County Catholic high school continues to develop with a new case of support
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