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SEVENTH GRADERS BRINGING MISSION TO LIFE: SOCK DRIVE AND CARITAS PROJECT
SEVENTH GRADER MAKES HIS SOCK DRIVE
CAMPUSWIDE INITIATIVE
For the third year in a row, seventh grader Javi Swinarski ’26 organized a sock drive for the homeless. As a fourth grader, Javi participated in a service project at John Carroll, during which he learned that socks are the most requested item in homeless shelters. So, the following year, he launched a sock drive at the Lower School, which brought in more than 1,000 socks for the homeless.
Now a seventh grader, he brought his sock drive from the Lower School to the Middle and Upper School and asked students from all three divisions to donate. He had a goal of collecting 2,000 pairs of socks this year. Javi was happy to report that, thanks to the generosity of Gilmour students, he collected more than 3,370 pairs of socks!
SEVENTH GRADERS PITCH CHARITY OF CHOICE IN CROSSDISCIPLINARY CARITAS PROJECT
Seventh graders again participated in the Caritas project this year. Caritas, Latin for “charity,” is an annual cross-disciplinary project between English and theology classes in which students create persuasive presentations to demonstrate how a charity of their choice aligns with and upholds the Gilmour mission and Holy Cross charisms in hopes of gaining the support of the community.
Four students’ projects were chosen as finalists, and the students - Ralph Asher ’26, Alex Batchik ’26, Trevor Bilant ’26 and Isabella Mascha ’26 - then delivered presentations virtually during Middle School Advisory. The Middle School community then voted and Ralph Asher and his charity, Games for Love, were announced as the winners! Games for Love provides hope for sick children in hospitals through gaming programs, coding camps, scholarships and intern programs. Ralph’s presentation was enthusiastic and his heartfelt concern for hospitalized kids was evident. As a result of his efforts, Games for Love received a $500 donation from Gilmour, which Ralph says will help 50 sick kids!
Ralph Asher ’26
