Students focus on helping other children |
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Written by JACALYN FLOM, Lial Catholic School
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Friday, 01 August 2008 01:00 |
WHITEHOUSE—As Christians we are called to serve one another. Today’s world provides plenty of opportunities to serve those in need in foreign lands, as well as our own cities.
Sometimes the situation is so overwhelming it can appear that our efforts don’t really make a difference.
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Lial Catholic School students, from left, Sam Unnerstall, Mike Pool and
Lexi Brown work with teacher Noel Rodgers to load a van full of
kid-friendly foods that were donated to the Assumption Center in
Toledo. The food drive was just one of many service projects students
participate in during the school year. (Photo courtesy of Lial Catholic School)
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This is especially true for children. Many times they feel that their age and limited resources don’t have an impact; therefore, they become discouraged and may give up their efforts to help.
The teachers at Lial Catholic School recognized this potential problem and to avoid it, helped the students shift their service focus.
The students engaged in Kids Serving Kids activities, which were planned and implemented by the students themselves. Student efforts focused on problems both nearby and on the other side of the world.
Students collected school supplies for a middle school in Findlay that was affected by the fall floods.
They also collected foods kids like to eat for the Assumption Center in central Toledo. Macaroni and cheese, spaghetti, cookies and fruit snacks filled a cargo van — there wasn’t a green bean can in sight!
Lenten Sharing provided food and household items for 10 families in the Toledo area.
Service took on a world focus when Operation Christmas Child collected more than 50 boxes to be distributed worldwide to children in need.
The Lial Catholic School Mission Fair raised more than $5,000 for the Sisters of Notre Dame’s efforts in Papua New Guinea.
The success and scope of these projects is impressive considering Lial has less than 200 students.
Lial children also helped other children learn service can be fun as well as helpful. Several Lial students set up a mini-mission fair at Maria Child Care for the 3- and 4-year-olds. The children were told their playing would help other children and parents were asked to make a small donation to the mission effort.
By shifting the service focus to Kids Serving Kids, the children of Lial were able to see they can make a difference in the lives of other children. The many thanks you notes received are shared with the children. Knowing they made a difference has made the children of Lial eager to continue serving others.
The Kids Serving Kids focus will continue during the 2008-2009 school year.
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Last Updated on Friday, 07 November 2008 09:05 |
