KNIGHTS STAND OUT | RELIGION

In January, the senior class embarked on Senior Outreach, experiencing a deep dive into service for eight days. In orientation meetings, they completed a Youth Safeguarding God’s Children training and heard from two guest speakers: Tommy Thompson, President/CEO of the Open Door Mission (and former EHS parent), and Ana Schick, Executive Director of the Small Steps Nurturing Center. For the following seven days, seniors were sent out to serve our neighbors in Houston. About half of our seniors served at the same sites daily (primarily in schools), while others elected to serve at a variety of sites. Service sites this year included: The Arbor School, Avondale House, The Beacon, Buffalo Bayou Partnership, The Houston Food Bank, The Houston Humane Society, The Joy School, several of the KIPP schools, The Nature Discovery Center, Nehemiah Center, Open Door Mission, Parish School, Project Cure, two Restore locations, two Small Steps locations, and Target Hunger. Another service highlight this quarter was the 2nd annual All EHS Day of Service, for which over 100 students, parents, faculty, staff members, and their families gathered at the Houston Food Bank to help feed Houston’s hungry.

In early February, the school had the opportunity to participate in the Rev. Katie Gould’s ordination to the priesthood during Chapel. Diocesan Bishop Andy Doyle officiated, and approximately 20 Episcopal clergy from the Diocese of Texas and beyond were there to lay hands on Rev. Gould at her consecration. Bearing witness to such an event is something not many people get to do during their entire lifetime!

In the Religion classrooms, we transitioned into the new semester with classrooms full of new students for our one semester classes. Teachers continue to work together to explore best practices in the engagement of students, and are looking at ways to take what we do in classes beyond the classroom walls. This spring, a display was set up in the first floor hallway of the Brown Learning Resource Center building, asking the question, “What is your concept of God?” The display offers several images of God and invites the viewers to write their thoughts about ways in which the images effectively depict their concepts of God – and ways in which the images miss the mark.

Our mental health counselors launched a psychoeducation initiative this semester, sending out semi weekly flyers about topics related to Teen Dating Violence in February and bringing in a guest speaker for a Chapel service to talk about communication skills. The counselors also hosted a lunch booth for suicide awareness, which was also the Choices topic for the month, and Menninger Clinic therapist Mychal Riley spoke on the topic at the February Parent Forum. In March, the Choices program presented a film by IndieFlix on the topics of bullying and cyberbullying.

The Student/Faculty Spiritual Life Board continued its monthly meetings, and has offered articles about the spiritual disciplines of Compassion (written by faculty member John Flanagan) and Confession (written by faculty member Phuc Luu) for publication in the Knight Times. The Board has also created a poster to place at strategic locations around campus, promoting opportunities for students to explore their faith through clubs: Canterbury Circle, Diversity in Action, Fellowship of Christian Athletes, the Interfaith Chapel Advisory Group, the Jewish Heritage Club, the Mental Wellness and Choices Advocacy Clubs, Students of Service, and the various Chapel ministries (acolytes, lectors, ushers, worship leaders, etc.).

The Parent/Alumni Spiritual Life Advisory Committee’s quarterly meeting addressed the question, “What are the spiritual needs of our parents and alumni?” The group learned about current offerings for those groups by the Religion Pillar and brainstormed about additional ways we might support their faith journeys.

Students take a brain break with spike ball.