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June 24, 2014
catholic schools
CATHOLIC EDUCATION INSPIRES
Saint Francis HS students share time, treasure
During Lent, Saint Francis High
School (Mtn. View) students were
encouraged to practice almsgiving.
Homerooms raised money for various
organizations that support Holy Cross
missions, locally and globally. Students
were urged to give up a luxury item
each week, such as fast food or a cup
of store-bought coffee, and donate the
money saved toward the homeroom
projects.
Together, students raised $25,000,
which is $2,000 more than last year’s
total, and Krista Frankovic, associate
campus minister for community outreach and service, commended students for their generosity. “Our Saint
Francis community is supportive and
compassionate, and students learned
they can stand in solidarity with the
poor,” she said.
Following Lent, 20 students, accompanied by four staff members, spent
Easter break reconstructing homes in
New Orleans that were destroyed by
Hurricane Katrina. Seeing houses that
are still boarded up and abandoned,
nine years after the storm, reaffirmed
the students’ decision to go to New
Orleans.
“I wanted to go because I knew I
would be building something with
my hands that would stay with the
homeowners forever,” said junior Jack
Burfield.
Students marveled at the resilience
Saint Francis immersion participants (from
top left) teacher Chihiro Ikezi, Tommy Hoey,
Anna Edgington, Rachel Gomez, Kaila
Dowd, Olivia Stone were among those who
helped rebuild houses in New Orleans.
of the community and reflected on
how fortunate they are to live in the
Bay Area. “While in New Orleans, I
found what I love to do, which is helping people,” senior Lexi Schumacher
said, “and I’m looking at programs, like
Americorps, to continue doing service
after I graduate from Saint Francis.”
Combat flags presented to St. Mary School, Los Gatos,
as show of appreciation
At St. Mary’s (l-r) teachers Stephanie Lynott and Erika Freitas and Sister Nicki Thomas
(president and acting principal), Col. Stephen Hager, teachers Mary Serna and Katy Crites,
the Hager children, and Eve Hager.
location while in Afghanistan.
In May, at a St. Mary School (Los
Col. Hager presented the flags to
Gatos) Wednesday morning student asshow his appreciation for all that they
sembly, Col. Stephen Hager presented
do for his family while he is away. He
flags that flew over Afghanistan to
is home for only a short time in between
several teachers and the principal.
deployments to Afghanistan. “The St.
Col. Hager presented several teachMary’s community has been very supers, Mrs. Serna (kindergarten), Ms.
portive of my family,” he said. “WithCrites, (2nd grade), Ms. Lynott (4th
out that, my deployment would have
grade), Mrs. Freitas (5th grade), and
been much more difficult. My entire
principal Sister Nicki Thomas each
family is very thankful to St. Mary’s.”
with a framed flag that had flown over
Col. Hager was commissioned from
Camp Phoenix in Kabul, Afghanistan.
Santa Clara University in 1987 and is
Included in the frames of each flag
in his 27th year of military service.
were documents signed by Col. Hager
He served five years on active duty
and Sergeant Major (SGM) Ray Harris,
and has been in the reserves. His curalong with two ceremonial coins that
rent deployment to Afghanistan is his
are traditionally presented to soldiers
fourth deployment to a combat zone.
who exhibit exceptional performance.
He served in the first Gulf War in 1991
The flags and the coins hold signifiand in Somalia for two tours in 1993.
cant value to Col. Hager and SGM HarCol. Hager, his wife Eve and their three
ris as they represent their tours of duty
children live in Los Gatos.
at Camp Phoenix, their main operating
www.valleycatholiconline.com
community .
T
he Valley Catholic
Young refugees visit
St. Lawrence Elementary and Middle School
Recently refugees from Africa and
Nepal visited students at St. Lawrence
Elementary and Middle School in Santa
Clara to share their stories. Marciel, now
a soccer playing De Anza student from
Africa, spoke of being forced to flee his
village and leave his family so as not to
become a child soldier.
Shance, from the Democratic Republic of the Congo, now a high schoo