tvc.dsj.org | October 23, 2018 CATHOLIC SCHOOLS
23
Archbishop Mitty High School Freshmen Unite to Serve Community
By Bea Scott
Spanish & Religious Studies Teacher
Every October, as the sophomores
and juniors are taking the PSAT, the
entire freshman class of Archbishop
Mitty High School enters the Fien Gym-
nasium to begin their Freshman Day of
Service. The day begins with prayer,
after which the freshmen board buses
and vans and travel to more than 25
different locations to perform service.
This year, Freshman Day of Service
took place on Wednesday, October 10th.
More than 450 freshmen packed, pre-
pared and served food; sorted clothes;
tutored children at Catholic schools
and schools for those on the autism
spectrum; walked with the undocu-
mented; cared for the environment;
worked with the developmentally
disabled; harvested food; and cleaned
up community centers.
Every year my colleague, Kristin
Byrnes, and I drive around to try to
see students at as many service sites
as we can. When I see them dancing
with clients at HOPE Services; tutoring
children at Queen of Apostles, Sacred
Heart and Our Lady of Grace Nativ-
ity, or St. Martin of Tours; riding bikes
with students on the autism spectrum;
getting their hands dirty digging up
vegetables; making sandwiches and
handing out food at St. Justin’s; I feel
tremendous hope for our future.
Many students noted that they were
Saint Catherine School Twirlers
Saint Catherine School is unique
in having a baton club, the Twirlers.
Thirty students in grades K-5 are cur-
rently participating in the third year
of the program. Beginners meet one
afternoon each week, while intermedi-
ate and advanced twirlers meet another
day. They learn to control a baton, toss
a baton, incorporate dance steps and
have stage presence.
Various levels of the Saint Catherine
Twirlers have participated in competi-
tions for the US Twirlers Association
in Brentwood. They also performed
in the Morgan Hill Christmas Parade,
Monterey 4th of July Parade, and school
talent show. Additionally, they per-
formed in the Kiddie Kapers Parade
for the California Rodeo parade in
Salinas where they were awarded first
place. The group is moderated by Mrs.
Linda Aguliar who has been teaching
twirling for over 30 years.
anxious about working with people
who are different than they are but ex-
perienced moments of joy, laughter, and
gratitude. This annual Day of Service
for the freshman class created a sense
of community and mission among the
freshmen. One student noted that it
brought out the best in all of us. As
students are stretched to interact with
people or be of service to people they
might not normally meet, it gives them
the opportunity to see God in those
they serve and to remember that all
of us are created in God’s image and
likeness.
Archbishop Mitty’s liturgical theme
song for the 2018-19 school year is
“Fearless,” and we sang it together at
the opening prayer at the Day of Ser-
vice. The song encourages us to call on
God’s name and “walk out in faith,”
to lift up our burdens and tap into the
power of God’s love. The Archbishop
Mitty High School Class of 2022 did
this in concrete and beautiful ways on
October 10.
Saint Patrick School Students
Participate in Mass Welcoming Coadjutor Bishop
Six Saint Patrick School students
responded to the invitation of joining
the choir for the Welcoming Mass of
Coadjutor Bishop, Oscar Cantú on
September 28.
Their excitement to be part of this
historical event moved them to par-
ticipate in the two two-hour rehearsals
scheduled with the highly skilled musi-
cians and choir singers who committed
to serve at the Welcoming Mass.
An additional motivation for the
Saint Patrick students to take part in
this event was the honor of meeting
and being led by the composer of their
Saint Patrick School students with principal,
Olga C. Islas.
theme song (God Is Always With Us)
for this academic year – Christopher
Wemp, our Diocesan Liturgist.
Great Attendance at Sacred Heart Saratoga’s
Vex-Iq Robotics Tournament
The Sacred Heart Robostangs are
off to another strong Robotics season.
On the afternoon of October 3,
Sacred Heart School hosted the first
Robotics VEX-IQ Tournament of the
season. More than twenty-two teams
from throughout the South Bay, signed
on to test their skills under this year’s
new and exciting robotics challenge.
The new challenge is set by VEX, the
largest robotics league that spans
the globe in over 50 countries, 22,000
teams, and over a million students.
The Sacred Heart Robostangs Team
100B won the 3rd place in the com-
petition. They are one of the 5 teams
of Sacred Heart School’s VEX-IQ that
competed in this tournament are also
part of the 10 teams that are part of our
Robostangs VEX Robotics Club span-
ning grades from third - eighth grades.
Calling all Journalists!
Participate in The Valley Catholic
Young Journalists Group
Sacred Heart School members of an all-girls
team proudly display the design of their
robot for inspection prior to the competition.
The Robotics season will end in
January where the winning teams will
advance to the State and hopefully once
again to the World Robotics competi-
tion in Kentucky in the spring. We look
forward to a great robotics season.
The Valley Catholic Young Journalists Group is a team of high school
journalists who are passionate about retelling such stories through priests,
ordinary people and religious events. The mission is to share anecdotes of
faith and experiences of God in people’s lives, specifically aiming to connect
with fellow Catholic youth.
If you enjoy writing, telling stories, and are active in your parish, come
join this group!
For more information or to share a story, please contact Justin Chung at
[email protected].