Calvert students apply Gospel values to real life situations |
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Written by MICHAEL DRIEHORST, Special to the Chronicle
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Friday, 05 June 2009 01:00 |
TIFFIN—A lot of instruction occurs in high schools. But, when students put those instructions into practice — the lesson really hits home.
The 2008-09 school year is the second for Tiffin Calvert High School’s Social Justice class, teaching the seven main themes of Catholic social teaching: Life and Dignity of the Human Person; Call to Family, Community and Participation; Rights and Responsibilities; Option for the Poor and Vulnerable; The Dignity of Work and the Rights of Workers; Solidarity; and Care for God’s Creation.
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| Matthew Somers, front, a senior at Tiffin Calvert High School, helps young ìMass-goersî understand the readings for a Sunday Mass. Matthew coordinated the project as part of his social justice class. (Photo courtesy of Patty Hayes, Tiffin Calvert High School) |
"The goal is to apply the social justice principles of the church and the Gospel values to practical situations," explains Patty Hayes, who teaches the Social Justice class at the high school, which is part of Calvert Catholic Schools.
The second semester class, which is required for all seniors, requires students to design and implement their own service project. Students can work on their own or in teams. Once the projects are determined, the students must "pitch" the ideas to Ms. Hayes who reviews them and ensures the students are aware of what would be needed to implement them. Students receive a pass or fail grade for the course.
During the project, students are required to keep a log to track the hours spent on it, along with other records like feelings and thoughts about their work. During the final week of school, students must finish a three-page essay on the project and give a presentation on their experience. The presentation is judged by Ms. Hayes and two other faculty members.
By having the students design and execute their own projects, Ms. Hayes says the students can contribute to "something they are passionate about."
The Calvert Class of 2009 had 44 students involved in 18 projects.
One project was "Beats for the Streets," a concert fundraiser for CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocate), an organization that advocates for abused and neglected children who often are removed from their homes. The project was organized by Emily Tiell, Ashley Vassalle, Hannah Wilson and Joara Berger.
Ashley says five bands from the area, as well as Toledo and Columbus, played during the Beats for the Streets concert April 25, and raised nearly $250 for the local CASA organization.
"It felt really good to be a part of something that really made a difference," she says.
Darris Correll and Scott Borer organized a disc golf tournament to help raise funds for the Calvert Catholic Schools Shawn Weber $500 Scholarship. Darris says Shawn was a classmate and his best friend when he died in the fifth grade. A scholarship was created in his memory to help students in grades four through eight attend Calvert schools.
The tournament raised $190 for the scholarship. Darris says he and Scott had hoped to do better, but they hadn’t offered pre-registration and the day of the tournament was a windy one causing fewer than expected participants.
"I learned that events like that take a lot more organization than I thought," Darris says.
Ms. Hayes says nearly all of the students noted that same learning experience.
"What I’ve learned is how surprised I am by the amount of energy and enthusiasm put into the projects by the students," Ms. Hayes says. "I’m seeing another side of the students. It’s a maturity that I can’t see just from the classroom experience."
Another project sought to raise local awareness about autism. Jaci Leis and Gemma White are summer volunteers with a local group involved with autism. During their research, they learned that often, parents who have a child diagnosed with autism don’t know where to turn for help.
The students organized and promoted an autism-awareness event that attracted 20 to 25 people to hear Amber Stover of Seneca Autism Learning & Support Association (SALSA) speak about autism and what it is like to have a child with the disorder.
"We had hoped for a little more but we only advertised it the week before," Jaci says. "Those who did attend were very involved, and some who attended shared their own experience, which added to it."
Ms. Hayes adds that one important lesson the students learned was about support.
"The students really grow to appreciate the generosity of the parishes, their family and the community who come out and support them," she says. "It’s a really great experience for me to see how the students can affect people’s lives."
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Last Updated on Monday, 12 October 2009 13:11 |
