Catholic Schools Week
‘Learn. Serve. Lead. Succeed’:
Catholic Schools Week 2020 The following is an abridged version of the Catholic Schools Week message from Bishop O’Connell that first appeared Jan. 24 on TrentonMonitor.com. To read the original, unabridged version, go to TrentonMonitor.com/CatholicSchoolsWeek A MESSAGE FROM BISHOP
E
DAVID M. O’CONNELL, C.M.
very generation has the obligation and responsibility to educate the next generation. That involves the teaching of subjects like math and science, language and literature, history and health, among others. Catholics are no less bound to educate their young in the same subjects than their public counterparts. There is something else, however; something that is more than just a subject in the curriculum that is not found in public schools. Rather, that something is an atmosphere, a culture, an environment, a spirit, yes, even a vernacular that pervades the Catholic school community … and that is the Catholic faith. In the Catholic school, the Catholic religion is a subject to be taught, learned, loved and lived well beyond the doors of the Catholic school building. Although, as the Second Vatican Council reminds us, Catholic parents have always been considered the primary teachers of the Catholic faith by the Catholic Church, they depend upon Catholic schools to support and strengthen what they believe as Catholics. Having devoted my entire life as a priest to Catholic education at all its levels, there is a real sadness that fills my heart when I see more and more Catholic schools close in dioceses and parishes throughout our country – and, especially in our own diocese, as we have seen recently. The fact of the matter is Catholic education and Catholic schools in particular are at serious risk. There is no question that our Catholic schools do an excellent job of educating our young people across the curriculum; graduating more students and sending more graduates to college than their secular counterparts. Catholic schools infuse their students with the “Good News of Jesus Christ” and with the Catholic faith intended to last a lifetime, with light and hope so contrary to what our contemporary, relativistic society offers. So, what is the risk? ONLY 17 PERCENT of Catholic adults attend church on Sunday in the Diocese of Trenton. A large majority of young Catholics in our religious education programs do not continue to study their faith beyond the time they receive Confirmation and they absent themselves from Mass. THE MONITOR MAGAZINE February 2020
Bishop David M. O’Connell, C.M., visits with students in Sacred Heart School, Mount Holly, during Catholic Schools Week Jan. 28. Mike Ehrmann
Enrollments in Catholic schools are steadily declining, causing Catholic schools to close because the resulting revenues are just not there photo to sustain them and pay just salaries to their faculties and staffs. Parishes simply cannot afford giant subsidies necessary to keep their schools’ doors open, and parents cannot absorb the costs. Some schools in our Diocese have closed. And more may follow. How is the Catholic faith to be handed on and nourished? The number of Catholic marriages has plummeted in recent years and Catholic families whose parents and grandparents loved and practiced their Catholic faith are not even seeking Catholic funeral Masses for them. Recent scandals in the Church have driven otherwise practicing Catholics to question the moral authority and credibility of those responsible for leadership in the Church. With increasing numbers of Catholics advocating against the sacredness of all human life and the dignity of traditional marriage, the mainstream media has convinced some otherwise faithful Catholics that long-held Church teachings are “out of touch” and irrelevant to contemporary life. THESE ARE FACTS. So, what do we, as Catholics, do? Give up? Give in? Surrender to the risk? Never! The stakes are too high. The battle has been too hard fought. The prize, too precious. The sacrifices upon which the Catholic Church in our country has been built have created too solid a foundation to let it crumble. “You are Peter,” the Lord Jesus promised, “and upon this Rock I will build my Church and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it” (Matthew 16:18). Our Holy Father Pope Francis has taught that “true education enables us to love life and opens us to the fullness of life” (Pope Francis, “Address to Catholic Teachers and Students,” 2014). In essence, that love for life is what Catholic schools inspire in their students. Everything that happens in the Catholic school is a call to those students to be the very best they can be in life: not simply by getting by; not just by putting in another day. “Catholic schools have it all,” we often say in the Diocese of Trenton. The excellence in “true education” that we impart in the Catholic school is what makes the world better, safer, more just, more loving, more ethical, more peaceful … more holy. What could possibly be more important or greater? This year, as we celebrate Catholic Schools Week with the theme “Learn, Serve. Lead. Succeed,” let all Catholic families in the Diocese of Trenton ask and answer that question.
Connor Sutphin, a third-grader in St. James Elementary School, Red Bank, center in yellow, joins his friends in the sand ahead of the plunge. Hal Brown photo
Catholic Schools Week
Maureen Donovan and Madison York from Holy Cross Academy, Rumson, run into the Atlantic Ocean Jan. 26 for the 14th annual Ancient Order of Hibernians’ Polar Plunge in Sea Bright. Hal Brown photo
Conquerors of the Sea
Polar Plungers brave elements to aid Catholic schools
MORE ONLINE
Go to TrentonMonitor.com: ■ See dozens of photos from the day: > Multimedia > Photo Galleries ■ Can you spot your friends, family and teachers at the Polar Plunge? Watch our news video: > Multimedia > Video ■ Read more about the day: > Schools
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queals and shouts of joy arose from the Sea Bright Municipal Beach the afternoon of Jan. 26 as people of all ages raced into, then quickly out of, the Atlantic Ocean to mark the 14th annual Polar Plunge for Catholic Education. “The Plunge excites the children. They want to see pictures of their teachers plunging into the frigid ocean,” Tracy Moser, kindergarten teacher in St. Mary Academy, Manahawkin, said with a laugh.
The 1,000 participants who braved the 45-degree sand and surf were warmhearted knowing that 100 percent of the pledges they garnered for the Plunge would go toward their schools. Sponsored by the Ancient Order of Hibernians, the event raised more than $200,000 as of press time. With barely a shiver in sight, Travis Sutphin draped an arm around his son, Connor, a third-grader in St. James Elementary School, Red Bank, after the plunge. “The Plunge is a good way to start Catholic Schools Week because it gets all the schools together, and that’s a big mission – to see how we can collaborate and make Catholic schools better for everyone,” Sutphin said. The community of St. John Vianney High School, Holmdel, gathers for a photo at the Polar Plunge. Jennifer Mauro photo
Craig Palmer, principal of St. Mary School, Middletown, victoriously emerges from the chilly surf. Jennifer Mauro photo
February 2020 THE MONITOR MAGAZINE
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Catholic Schools Week
‘We need people like you’ STEM takes N.J. State House by storm BY EMMALEE ITALIA Contributing Editor
PHOTOS BY HAL BROWN
T
he juxtaposition was uncanny, as Catholic students from across New Jersey gathered in the State House in Trenton – third oldest of its kind in the country – to explain how their frontier-breaking STEM projects were used to impact communities both at home and across the globe. Kicking off Catholic Schools Week in the state’s capitol Jan. 27 were students, teachers, principals and parents from all five of the state’s (arch)dioceses, each group eager to celebrate their schools and share how their projects represented exemplary Catholic education. “We want families to know that [Catholic schools] are competitive, that we have very strong STEM programs,” said Frances Koukotas, director of the Network of Catholic School Families in the Diocese of Trenton, as she reflected on the theme for this year’s annual statewide project students were invited to participate in: “Our Catholic Schools Use STEM to Solve a School, Local Community or Global Problem.” The opportunity to present for their peers and representatives, as well as to hear from state legislators, was a twofold benefit, Koukotas said. “It shines a brighter light on the work our schools are doing,” she said. “The
public becomes more aware, and the students are in turn influenced by the other students and legislators. And when we start talking about the state budget, [technology funding] helps drive a lot of the technology available in our schools, to keep the tech current.” Following a tour of the State House’s notable features, students and school representatives listened as the proclamation of Catholic Schools Week by Gov. Phil Murphy was read aloud by a representative from his office. Dr. George Corwell, director of the office of education for the New Jersey Catholic Conference – the public policy arm of the Catholic bishops of New Jersey – offered an opening prayer and supportive words. “I want you to know that the State House is your house,” Dr. Corwell said. “The legislators debate the issues that are of importance to you in these very rooms … if you want to come here, you are welcome to come on any topic.” That sentiment was echoed by State Senator Linda R. Greenstein, D-14 Mercer-Middlesex. “It’s good for you to visit the State House because … so many of
Svapnil Patel, seventh-grader in St. James School, Red Bank, demonstrates the building and operation of a solar oven, which was recognized by the Diocese’s Network of Catholic School Families. your issues get decided right here, and so we need lots of input from all of you.” INNOVATIVE PROJECTS During the visit, students presented the projects that were recognized for going above and beyond. In the Trenton Diocese, Emily Mandelbaum and Svapnil Patel, both seventh-graders in St. James School, Red Bank, demonstrated the building and operation of their solar oven, which harnessed the sun’s heat as
Continued on 63
For full story and more
photos, visit TrentonMonitor. com/CatholicSchoolsWeek.
Students, teachers, principals and parents from all five of the state’s (arch) dioceses take a tour of the State House Jan. 27 during Catholic Schools Week. JoAnn Giordano, left, principal of St. James Elementary School, Red Bank, takes a photo with students Emily Mandelbaum and Svapnil Patel and science teacher Susan Signoriello. State Sen. Linda R. Greenstein, D-14, Mercer-Middlesex, center, visited as well, saying, “I think it absolutely makes a difference for [people] to be in touch with their representatives.”
THE MONITOR MAGAZINE February 2020
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February 2020 THE MONITOR MAGAZINE
Catholic Schools Week
Bishop O’Connell
thrice-blessed during Catholic schools visits BY LOIS ROGERS Correspondent AND MARY STADNYK Associate Editor
I
f there’s one thing Catholic Schools Week made perfectly clear to Bishop David M. O’Connell, C.M., it’s that there’s a lot of energy, commitment and love going in to providing the Diocese’s Catholic school students with the best education possible. “We are celebrating what we are, what we offer to kids and what we do well,” said Paula Asch, librarian in Sacred Heart School, Mount Holly, reflecting on Catholic Schools Week. The school was one of three that Bishop O’Connell visited Jan. 27-31, celebrating Mass for students, faculty and family members, touring classrooms and hearing from students themselves about what they were learning in school. Students in St. Jerome School, West Long Branch; St. Gregory the Great Academy, Hamilton Square, and Sacred Heart agreed that having the Bishop stop by was exciting. “It definitely made me feel important and kind of special. It’s not something you have every day,” Sacred Heart seventh-grader Julia Kopcho said of the Bishop’s visit. Also not an everyday occurrence: having a special guest star for your school’s morning announcements, which was the case in St. Gregory the Great Academy, when the Bishop sat down for an interview with several students against the backdrop of a brilliant green screen. In his homilies, the Bishop reflected on the story of Finding of Jesus in the Temple from St. Luke’s Gospel, when the young Jesus became separated from his mother and foster father during Passover. After a frantic search, Mary and Joseph found
Bishop David M. O’Connell, C.M., receives gifts from children in St. Gregory the Great Academy, Hamilton Square, after celebrating Mass Jan. 31 at the end of Catholic Schools Week. Mike Ehrmann photo
THE MONITOR MAGAZINE February 2020
him in the temple, where he was “among the religious leaders and teachers,” talking about many things in a manner that astounded all within earshot. Though the Bible doesn’t state that Jesus went to school, the Bishop noted that it is more than likely that Jesus attended school as “human society has always believed it was important to pass on what they knew to the next generation.” He noted that historically, schools developed around important religious traditions, based on the belief that education was incomplete if it didn’t “include religion, faith and the relationship between God and the world he created.” “The human being also had a heart and soul that needed to learn, and that’s what a Catholic school does. It teaches the heart and soul. It gives the whole picture of life, which is incomplete without God and faith and religion. And that’s pretty important,” Bishop O’Connell said. Speaking of education today in the United States, Bishop O’Connell noted that there are more than 100,000 public schools, including 2,500 in New Jersey. While he acknowledged that most of the public schools are very good schools, “they are not permitted to talk about God or faith or the Church or any religion. “That doesn’t make them bad, just incomplete,” he said. “We believe there is more to learn. That’s where our Catholic schools – your Catholic school – come in. They teach the whole truth.” Interested in seeing what the students were being taught, Bishop O’Connell toured many classrooms during the week. In St. Jerome School, he met the nearly 200 students in pre-K through eighth grades, where he saw the creativity and intellectual curiosity of the students displayed. “I liked that he [the Bishop] wanted to know what we were learning in social studies,” sixth-grader Maralyn Loughlin said as the class focused on ancient Nubia and Egypt.
For dozens of photos from all three of the Bishop’s visits as well as full coverage, go to TrentonMonitor. com/CatholicSchoolsWeek.
Students are all smiles as Bishop O’Connell, joined by Father Michael McClane, visits classrooms in St. Gregory the Great Academy. Father McClane is pastor in St. Gregory the Great Parish. Mike Ehrmann photo Bishop O’Connell hears about what St. Jerome School has to offer in terms of technology as he visits a computer classroom Jan. 27 in West Long Branch. Rich Hundley photo Bishop and St. Jerome School students outstretch their arms as they recreate a photo they took together for a Catholic Schools Have It All poster in 2014. Rich Hundley / Craig Pittelli photos The Bishop calls on a student while he takes a tour of classrooms Jan. 28 in Sacred Heart School, Mount Holly. Mike Ehrmann photo
THEN
NOW
February 2020 THE MONITOR MAGAZINE
Catholic Schools Week
Celebrating the CONTRIBUTIONS of
C
atholic schools are schools of distinction. They provide education in the Catholic faith with Catholic values rooted in the mission of each school. Students are exposed to academic rigor underscored with interdisciplinary application. They enjoy extracurricular activities and the personal discovery of talents and interests. Catholic schools in the Diocese of Trenton have been recognized for their achievements by the U.S. Department of Education as National Blue Ribbon Schools of Excellence and Green Ribbon Schools. The National Catholic Educational Association has recognized the talents and contributions of Catholic school educators as distinguished principals and teachers. The innovation and commitment of the Parent Teacher Associations have been recognized by NCEA throughout the years. In the competitive global arena, how do Catholic school students fare upon graduation? A brief compilation of the journeys of Catholic school alums is highlighted below. The graduates are achieving their dreams in a wide variety of achievements and endeavors.
CHRISTIAN BROTHERS ACADEMY FRANK DEBLASI – founder of charitable organization, “Ballsfest,” which identifies children battling cancer; the organization brings positive energy into their lives through a variety of programs JOE ROONEY – teacher at Monroe High School teamed with Mikey Nichols, a paraplegic, in the NYC Reeve Foundation Marathon; the pair finished three hours and 51 minutes or a pace of eight minutes and 50 seconds per mile; the Reeve Foundation focuses on “today’s care and tomorrow’s cure” TOM WILLKENS – Olympic medal winner in swimming at the Sydney 2000 Olympics; bronze medal winner in individual medley; winner of world title in the 2002 World Championship in Moscow FATHER CHRISTOPHER DAYTON –ordained a priest for the Trenton Diocese in 2018 and currently serves as parochial vicar in St. Rose Parish, Belmar FATHER MICHAEL DESAYE – ordained a priest for the Trenton Diocese in 2018 and currently serves as parochial vicar in Holy Innocents Parish, Neptune, and chaplain in Jersey Shore Medical Center, Neptune FATHER NICHOLAS DOLAN – ordained a priest for the Trenton Diocese in 2018 and currently serves as parochial vicar in St. Anthony of Padua Parish, Red Bank, where he is part of the Oratory of St. Philip Neri, a religious group of priests and brothers who live, pray and serve together DONOVAN CATHOLIC HIGH SCHOOL MORGAN WOOLF – research assistant in Princeton University’s Lewis Sigler Institute for Integrative Genomics CHRYSTOPHER MULLIGAN – associate producer of Neil Cavuto’s “Coast to Coast” on Fox Business Channel JIMMY VICARI – researcher at Mount Sinai Hospital working with compounds that reduce inflammation in the context of Alzheimer’s Disease, hemorrhagic stroke and Parkinson’s Disease LOGAN JONES – featured dancer in “Sponge Bob” CHRIS HABERL – Broadway keyboardist playing in “Jersey Boys,”“Anastasia,”“Sponge Bob” and “The Lion King” STEVE GALGON – author of the novel, “The Circle”
THE MONITOR MAGAZINE February 2020
A message from
JOANN TIER
Superintendent of Catholic Schools
DANIEL KOCHIS – Senior Policy Analyst in European affairs in Washington D.C. NOTRE DAME HIGH SCHOOL FATHER KEVIN KIMTIS – ordained priest working as a diplomat representing the Holy See; currently serving as the Secretary of the Apostolic Nunciature in the Republics of Benin and Togo MICHAEL PROCACCINO (Michael Cristofer) – accomplished writer, director, actor; received the Pulitzer Prize for Drama and Tony Award for Best Play, “The Shadow Box” CAMILLE WEST HYMES – Regional vice-president for Starbucks Coffee Company leading corporate operations in the Mid-Atlantic Region ENS DAVID LIEDTKA, III – ranked first in class academically in 2018 at the U.S. Naval Academy; pursuing master’s degree in computer science with a primary specialization in artificial intelligence JENNIFER O’CONNOR PIEPSZAK – Chief Financial Officer for JP Morgan and Chase; member of its Operating Committee; served as Controller for Global Equities and Prime Services RED BANK CATHOLIC HIGH SCHOOL JOHN MCCARTHY – Political Strategist with expertise ranging from Capitol Hill to presidential campaigns; the youngest Chief of Staff in the U.S. Congress BRIANNE REED – professional soccer player drafted to FC Kansas City in the National Women’s Soccer League in 2016; playing for FC Nordsjaelland in Denmark SEAN BELL – professional actor for over a decade performing in New York, regional theaters and on national tours; completed the First National Tour of “A Bronx Tale: The Musical”; actor in a one man play, “Fully Committed,” playing a total of 40 characters CHRIS SPAHR – Vice-President on the Synthetic Product Group Team at Goldman; member of the Board of Associates for the Ronald McDonald House Foundation in New York ST. JOHN VIANNEY HIGH SCHOOL PAUL BLISS – President and Chief Executive of Big Brothers and Big Sisters of America
Catholic school GRADUATES! BILL CAREY – Executive Vice-President and General Counsel, TIAA Commercial Finance, Inc.; 5th round NBA draft pick DR. SETH CABLE – Assistant Professor of Linguistics, University of Massachusetts, Amherst; Ph.D., Department of Linguistics and Philosophy DR. JOSEPH DEROBA – Chief Technical Engineer, Radar Systems and Identification Division RDECOM CERDEC 12WD GLENN FICARRA – Film/TV writer, director, producer – “Bad News Bears” and “ This Is Us” DR. JEANINE GENKINGER – Associate Professor, Department of Epidemiology, Columbia University ST. ROSE HIGH SCHOOL F. SCOTT MOODY – invented the technology behind Apple iTouch identification which was sold to Apple for $400M; co-founder and CEO of K4Connect, a mission-centered company that integrates the latest advances in technology to serve and empower older adults and those living with disabilities DEBRA CASTELLANO LUBOV – Senior Vatican and Rome Correspondent for ZENIT; author of “The Other Francis”; NBC & MSNBC Vatican analyst; contributor to the National Catholic Register DOREEN BOGDAN-MARTIN – the first woman to be elected to the executive leadership team of the United Nations International Telecommunication Union; leads the development arm working to advance connectivity to all of the world’s inhabitants, particularly the vulnerable and most marginalized JAMES MURRAY – the 26th Director of the U.S. Secret Service; leads the largest Secret Service work force comprising more than 7,000 special agents, uniformed division officers, technical law enforcement officers, administrative, professional, and technical personnel BRIGADIER GENERAL GUY WALSH – former strategist with U.S. Cyber Command; founding Executive Director of the National Security Collaboration Center; over 20 years of executive level management in National Defense and Domestic Operations including cyber, counter-insurgency and disaster relief leadership roles LT. JASON MARTIN – Retired U.S. Naval Academy Seal; Strategic Account Manager at Penumbra, Inc, a global healthcare company that designs, develops, manufactures and markets innovative products that address challenging medical conditions; iron man and marathon athlete; bone marrow donor TRENTON CATHOLIC ACADEMY CHENOAH PORTER-BLOUNT – founder of Stacey Blount Rising Stars - focused on girl empowerment and designed for girls who think they do not have hope; Miss New Jersey, 2018 JAMAYRAH MOORE – Founder of My Life Movement - encourages and motivates individuals in Trenton through action while creating positive change LA’KEISHA SUTTON – member of the Harlem Globetrotters, “Swish”; motivational speaker and author FRANTZ MASSENAT – professional international basketball
St. John Vianney 2019 graduation. Vic Mistretta photo
player; contributes a scholarship to students at TCA SALLY KAMARA – founder of Rooted Radiant Brand; motivational speaker and mentor The graduates listed above are but a few whose profiles were submitted by the high schools. Please visit the school websites for more detailed alumni information. It is important to note the positive impact that the Catholic schools have had in influencing the lives of graduates. The alums credited their teachers with teaching them how to live their faith. They learned self-discipline, teamwork, selfless service and commitment to a cause. They recognize the importance of being part of something bigger, which helps the individual, the community and the global society. Sincere thanks are conveyed to Bishop David M. O’Connell, C.M., and the clergy for their support of students attending Catholic schools. Gratitude is extended to Catholic school administrators, faculty and staff for their daily investment in students. Appreciation and thanks surround the individuals, foundations and parishioners who support today’s youth. Parents recognize the value of a Catholic school education and continue to be staunch supporters. As seen in the lives of the alumni, the investment in the future of a student has wide-reaching implications for a better and kinder world. It is a pleasure to salute our alumni and the community of learners and leaders who make Catholic schools vibrant and vital to our global society. February 2020 THE MONITOR MAGAZINE
Catholic Schools Week
Notre Dame announces new tuition model BY CHRISTINA LESLIE Correspondent
Ken Jennings, president of Notre Dame High School, admits the Lawrenceville school’s new tuition model is creating quite the buzz. “We are excited,” he said. This January, the Catholic high school announced a new tuition model for the 2020-21 school year that will help families with budgeting for tuition costs. The model, dubbed “Family First,” will fix tuition for a four-year period beginning with the incoming freshman class, while families of current students will have their tuition fixed as well through graduation. It is estimated that parents will save an average of $4,000 in tuition over four years with this new model. “The simplicity of this model means people can budget and there is affordability and clarity,” he said. “It will put us in a favorable light in the marketplace and help us stay true to our mission.” Jennings noted the school’s Board of Governors had been weighing the initiative when he arrived last July and examining tuition models by other high schools, colleges and universities. “In August it was decided, ‘Now is the time for action,’” Jennings said. “Lots of families had been saying, quite clearly, that the unpredictability of tuition was a problem. The number one issue is affordability; it breaks our hearts as a school to hear this.” In addition to the tuition change, NDHS will award eight new merit scholarships next year and eight character and leadership awards to students from Notre Dame’s Catholic elementary sending schools. “We give out close to $1 million,” he said. Jennings enumerated the benefits of the “Family First” model for both families and the school community, allowing for continued growth and financial viability. “In conjunction with our enrollment
Building Bright Fu t u r e s management plan, our number one emphasis is on getting new families to Notre Dame,” he said. Jennings said he was “on fire about Catholic education” and that he and his wife both attended Catholic schools. One of their children is a student in St. Paul School, Princeton, while his elder daughter is a member of the Notre Dame freshman class. He said new student applications are increasing, enrollment is up and the school is financially sound.
LEAD U teaches Toms River students to be effective leaders For students in St. Joseph School, Toms River, part of their Catholic Schools Week celebration was spent learning how to be leaders. The activity, which was held over two days, involved students gathering in the gym for assemblies where they participated in LEAD U, a program that focuses on creating personal empowerment experiences for learners of all ages. JD Wilson, a graduate of St. Joseph School and Donovan Catholic High School, founded LEAD U with the intention of offering a positive group of teaching artists “who creatively engage, educate and empower learners of all ages to find the leaders within themselves.”
St. Joseph School courtesy photo
THE MONITOR MAGAZINE February 2020
SJV students create training program for facility dog A group of St. John Vianney High School students recently used what they learned in a dual enrollment psychology class to lend a helping hand to their teacher’s four-legged assistant. The Holmdel high-schoolers completed a training plan for Surf, a facility dog, in teacher Melissa Boege’s class to learn new commands to minister to children and families who have suffered sexual abuse. “I am so appreciative for SJVHS to embrace Surf as part of the school community,” Boege said. Surf accompanied the teachers to her psychology class at the high school, one of a number in the school’s dual enrollment program with Brookdale Community College. The class covers topics such as neuroscience, sensation and perception, learning, memory, consciousness, thinking, language and intelligence. In addition to teaching at SJVHS, Boege works as a therapist at Catholic Charities, Diocese of Trenton, in its Red Bank-based Family Growth Program. The program serves families and children who have experienced trauma and sexual abuse. Believing a facility dog would assist with her human patients, Boege advocated for a facility dog from Canine Companions for Independence, a California-based nonprofit that trains and
Driven by the Gospel
Catholic Schools Week
Driven by the Gospel Surf the facility dog. SJV courtesy photo
provides assistance dogs free of charge. Groups of students were tasked with creating a training plan for Surf that he could use to help children in therapy, Boege explained. Each group researched the use of service dogs nationwide, then identified a new command to teach Surf based upon the commands the dog had already learned. The students outlined the training plan, explained how the commands would be helpful to use with children in therapy and outlined the training plan that they would use. Boege was pleased with the students’ work. “The commands the students developed … would be effective in providing kids with comfort and fun during treatment,” she said. “They all did a wonderful job.”
St. Mary of the Lakes courtesy photo
Medford students honor emergency personnel; visit televised For students in St. Mary of the Lakes School, the fourth day of Catholic Schools Week was spent showing appreciation to some important people in their community. The morning of Jan. 29, the Medford school formed an honor guard and welcomed first responders from Medford and Medford Lakes with hearty applause before hosting a breakfast in their honor. Some
students held up thank-you signs, and others happily exchanged high-fives, handshakes and lighthearted comments. The festivities were also highlighted on TV with broadcasts from two Philadelphia stations, 6ABC and NBC10. Kathleen Banco, marketing director, said the breakfast recognized “how hard our police, fire and EMS teams work to keep our community safe.” Father Daniel Swift, pastor of St. Mary of the Lakes Parish, led a prayer and blessing of food, and Amy Rash, principal, offered welcoming remarks.
RBC honors Mercy Sisters, service clubs Showcasing the impact of Catholic schools’ service at Red Bank Catholic High School meant bringing to the forefront the Sisters of Mercy of the Americas who started it all. And Catholic Schools Week was the perfect time to do it. For its schoolwide Mass Jan. 29, RBC highlighted the efforts of retired Sister Joanmarie “JM” McDonnell and Sister Regina Callahan, a member of the school’s religion and guidance departments. Wearing their club shirts, and scarves proclaiming “Catholic Schools Are a Choice,” representatives of the more than 40 RBC service groups carried their club banners proudly past the students prior to Mass. Sisters residing in St. James Convent of the nearby St. James Parish – many of whom taught in St. James Grammar School and RBC years ago – were invited to join the student body, as members of the campus ministry recognized the sisters for instilling service and the Mercy charism in RBC. About 90 percent of the RBC student body is involved in offering service, either through the school or independently, said Deborah Flego, assistant campus minister
From left, Sister Regina Callahan, Sister Marge Scarpone, alumna Amy Skalecki and Sister Joanmarie McDonnell. 2019 Facebook photo and religion teacher. “Many choose to continue their service activities at the colleges they attend,” she noted. “For Caseys, service isn’t a requirement – it is a way of life!” When Sister Regina arrived at RBC in the 1980s, there were 1,199 students and no clubs that provided service. “The student council, with a goal of providing one family in need with a full meal, planned to collect one dollar from each student,” explained Sister Marge Scarpone, current campus ministry team leader. “Upon hearing this, Sister Regina, along with four students, began the LIFE Club, which stood for Living In Faith Effectively.” Since then, the LIFE Club has been providing services to those in need, ultimately spurring enough donations to feed full meals to more than 400 families with food to spare. The service continues, despite it not being a graduation requirement at the school. Sister Joanmarie wanted to ensure the LIFE Club mission would continue to be in good hands after she left RBC. To that end, the 40-member campus ministry team, led by Sister Marge, took on the formal mission statement to “L.I.V.E. In Faith Effectively.” This inspired other RBC clubs to commit to offering service as well.
MORE ONLINE There is so much happening in our Catholic schools! Visit TrentonMonitor.com/CatholicSchoolsWeek for these – and more! Rumson students build arcade, raise money for medical needs Moorestown student mobilizes classmates to help homeless Photos from activities around the Diocese
February 2020 THE MONITOR MAGAZINE
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Makerspace gives St. Dominic kids an edge in engineering, teamwork When St. Dominic School principal Carol Bathmann was looking for ideas last summer to expand STEM in the Brick school, she found the answer in Makerspace. A dedicated room filled with tools and components, the Makerspace is above all a communal space designed for collaborative learning. Bathmann and teacher Erin Lindstrom readied a room with appropriate furniture, including tables of different heights for use standing or seated, and various engineering tools. “It’s a place where third- through eighth-grade students can design and create, using a variety of materials, participating in collaborative design challenges,” Bathmann explained. “We made sure two of the walls were painted with whiteboard paint, so students can sketch out their ideas – every kid’s dream, to write on the walls!” The engineering starts with a problem that must be solved – around which Lindstrom sometimes crafts a story to get the students more engaged and excited. She gets her challenge ideas from various sources, including NASA, TeachEngineering.org, Technovation Families and TryEngineering.org. “I’ve learned so many things from Makerspace,” said eighth-grader Brian McKeon, explaining that his favorite project so far
was trying to solve the problem of birds that die when they run into ocean-placed wind turbines during migration. From left, Dennis Quinn, computer technology teacher in St. Mary “I researched Academy, with students Nick Carrara, Sebastian Sares, and Addie and different birds that Nicole Schirripa. Courtesy photo travel across the ocean, and what predators scare them the Catchers, was one of 42 teams from New most,” he explained. The team ultimately Jersey, New York and Delaware competing designed “a machine that would emit a in the daylong event. sound that would replicate a cry from one “Nick and Sebastian are not only of the predators” using a motion-activated highly motivated coders, but they are sensor. disciplined as well,” said Lizanne Coyne, By EmmaLee Italia, Contributing Editor St. Mary Academy principal. “When they work with other students in our school, they help them all become better coders.” Each portion of the competition involved a “mission,” increasing in difficulty and point value. Teams had to navigate a robot using coding around barriers and through terminals to score 100, 200 or 400 points. The missions varied in length as well; some allowed an hour and others shorter periods. “The time limits were our biggest issue. They gave enough time to complete each mission, but you had to carefully come up with a strategy and spread out your time with each one so you’d get them done,” said Sebastian, who worked to devise plans for navigating angles. Dennis Quinn, the school’s computer technology teacher, had nothing Robotics and coding have become but praise for the duo. “I think they did signposts of a well-rounded science education, in public and Catholic schools awesome,” he said. “These guys were cool under pressure and didn’t get too stressed alike. Evidence of the latter’s aptiout. Teamwork is key in this type of tude for this 21st century subject was environment, and Nick and Sebastian … demonstrated recently by the worked well together.” middle-schoolers of St. Mary Another St. Mary’s team qualified for Academy, Manahawkin, two of whom rose to the top ranks of a the finals, seventh-graders and sisters Nicole and Adrianna Schirripa, who placed regional competition. in the top 50 percent with their 17th Nicholas Carrara and Sebasplace standing. During the closing ceretian Sares, both seventh-gradmony, Carerra, Sares, the Schirippas and ers, placed third in the recent their sister, Julia, were also recognized as Mid-Atlantic Region Cyber five of only 20 Mid-Atlantic Finalists to Robotics CoderZ Competition Finals held at New Jersey Institute have completed all 103 missions available, putting them in the event’s “100 Club.” of Technology. Their team, Dub By EmmaLee Italia, Contributing Editor
Embracing Innovation
St. Mary Academy places third in regional robotics competition
St. Dominic courtesy photo
THE MONITOR MAGAZINE February 2020