All-School Service Day
Tuesday, May 9 marked the second All-School Service Day at Saint Joseph Prep and, once again, it was a great success! Students in grades 9-11 worked on service projects as a class while the seniors were out working hard at their Senior Service sites.
While the sophomores and juniors headed off campus for their service projects, our freshmen stayed at SJP to assist with projects around campus. The students began their day with a prayer service and a talk from Sister Ellen Powers who discussed the power of compassion and a need to commit to lifelong service to the dear neighbor. Students then broke out into teams to do everything from window washing to science lab cleanup to classroom organization. Additionally, the students assisted the Sisters of St. Joseph at the Motherhouse by making gift bags and thank you notes for the veterans at our local VA hospital.
While the freshmen were hard at work at SJP, the sophomores headed to the four campuses of the Saint John Paul II Catholic Academies in Dorchester and Mattapan. Similar to the freshmen, the sophomores spent their day assisting the schools through a variety of projects to cleanup and organize the schools. Regional Director Kate Brandley expressed her gratitude for our students work and said, “Your kids are great! We love having them!”
Lastly, our junior class traveled to Bethany Healthcare and St. Joseph Hall in Framingham, MA, spending time with the many Sisters of St. Joseph who live there. The students participated in a variety of activities that included assisting with a cooking class, helping out with bingo, reading to the sisters, and spending time with one-on-one room visits. As Sister Marilyn noted, “There was a mutual giving and receiving between the students and the sister residents. The sisters fell in love with the energy and enthusiasm of youth, while the students enjoyed hearing the stories of the sisters and seeing the light in their eyes as they spoke of their life journeys as Sisters of St. Joseph.”
Overall the day was a huge success! We are grateful for the folks at Saint John Paul II Catholic Academies, St. Joseph Hall, and Bethany Healthcare for hosting our students and for the students, teachers, and staff who worked hard and represented SJP well.