At St. Joe, there are many different events to show school spirit and SJA pride, but Catholic Schools’ Week is one of the most important weeks for all Catholic schools. Catholic Schools Week celebrates St. Joe as a school that provides Catholic education and an environment to help students grow in their faith. During CSW, the Campus Ministry Team puts together events and activities to show appreciation to the teachers, parents, and students of St. Joe.
Catholic Schools Week is a major week for many of the students at St. Joe, including senior and campus ministry president, Abigail Dugan.
“Catholic Schools Week is a perfect opportunity to stop and take some time to reflect and be grateful for the opportunity to openly share our faith in an educational environment,” Abbie said.
On Monday, January 29, Campus Ministry kicked off Catholic Schools’ week with an announcement of the plans for the week. Seniors Abbie Dugan and Eliza Kelly made everyone excited about the week filled with fun activities to show appreciation to the people who help make St. Joe the amazing school it is.
Tuesday, January 30, was the start of Catholic Schools Week activities. This day was all about SJA parents and thanking them for everything they do for St. Joe. The day started with handing out coffee at drop off to parents. Students stood outside with signs and cups of coffee to show the parents love and appreciation for all that they do. Later in the day, during the daily examen, students were asked to take a couple of minutes and individually text their parents, thanking them and telling them how much they love them.
After showing an abundance of love to parents, it was the teachers’ turn. The halls smelled like a garden on Wednesday when hundreds of beautiful bouquets were brought into St. Joe. The SJA students each brought a bouquet to school, and as they went through their classes, they gave each of their teachers a flower. At the end of the day, each teacher had a vase filled with different kinds of flowers from their students.
This gesture seemed to brighten up everyone’s day and was one of the most popular activities done during CSW, especially for senior and campus ministry vice president, Eliza Kelly.
“[My favorite part of Catholic Schools’ Week was] flowers for the teachers!” said Eliza.
Thursday was the day for the students. Students of SJA were rewarded with a dress-down day as a sign of appreciation for all that they do for the school. In the morning, the Campus Ministry Team also hosted an Angels In Prayer collab with DeSmet Jesuit High School. Students could grab a donut, listen to an amazing talk from freshman CeCe Williams, and talk with other students their age about Jesus and how to deepen their faith.
Lastly, Friday was a day of service. After school, students grabbed a quick snack at Chick-fil-A before they had the opportunity to gain some service hours and experience a life-changing event by going down to Sts. Peter and Paul to serve the homeless. The event was a success, with over 60 girls volunteering to help serve others. Students were able to serve food and drinks, bake homemade desserts, and socialize with the people at the church who needed some happiness and love in their lives. The room was filled with joy as girls had conversations, danced, and played some of their favorite songs.
In the end, Catholic Schools’ Week was successful once again, leaving everyone with even more love and appreciation for the school that they have the privilege of attending.
