Students from St. Ambrose Catholic School in Seymour recently participated in Catholic Schools Week, and that included community service projects on Wednesday.
Since 1974, National Catholic Schools Week is the annual celebration of Catholic education in the United States. It starts the last Sunday in January and runs all week, which in 2023 was Jan. 29 to Feb. 4.
The theme for 2023 was “Catholic Schools: Faith. Excellence. Service.” Schools typically observe the annual celebration week with Masses, open houses and other activities for students, families, parishioners and community members.
Through these events, schools focus on the value Catholic education provides to young people and its contributions to the church, communities and nation.
Eighth-graders from St. Ambrose Catholic School in Seymour visited the Ronald McDonald House in Indianapolis on Wednesday for the school’s community service day. Front from left are Christian Scott, Julia Bustos, Amy Morales, Betzy Hernandez, Isabelle Young, Autumn Pintor, Adriana Galicia, Aaliyah Gonzalez and teacher Julie Lemming. Back from left are Principal Michelle Neibert-Levine, Landon Fugate, Corrina Corcoran, Colin Hartung, Gerardo Galicia and Randy Hernandez.
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St. Ambrose Catholic School students from kindergarten through second grade went to Lutheran Community Home on Wednesday to sing to residents as part of Catholic Schools Week.
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Fifth-graders from St. Ambrose Catholic School went to Anchor House Family Assistance Center and Pantry to volunteer and help clean on Wednesday for a community service day. Front from left are Hope Couch, Eva Sarver, Brittney Torres, Violeta Martinez Lagunas and Ian Barradas. Back from left are Lillian Holman, Alondra Pasillas, Berenice Alarcon, Izzy Creutz, Mildred Aguilar, Maggie Padilla, Natalie Bustos, Penelope Dennis, David Lemming, Levi Martinez, Abelino Cervantes and Thomas Young.
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Fifth-graders from St. Ambrose Catholic School went to Anchor House Family Assistance Center and Pantry to volunteer and help clean on Wednesday for a community service day.
Submitted photo
Eighth-grader Autumn Pintor from St. Ambrose Catholic School dumps out some aluminum can tabs at the Ronald McDonald House in Indianapolis on Wednesday for the school’s community service day.
Submitted photo
Seventh-graders from St. Ambrose Catholic School help sort through baby clothes at the Jackson County Clothing Center on Wednesday during Catholic Schools Week. They are, from left, Yadira Martinez, Fernando Barradas and Harold Hernandez.
Lori McDonald | The Tribune
Seventh-graders and their teacher from St. Ambrose Catholic School help sort through baby clothes at the Jackson County Clothing Center on Wednesday during Catholic Schools Week. They are, clockwise from left, Yadira Martinez, Emily Trejo, April Eaton and Daniel McIntosh.
Lori McDonald | The Tribune
St. Ambrose Catholic School seventh-grader Ivan Guzman helps put clothing on hangers at the Jackson County Clothing Center on Wednesday. Students were participating in a community service day for Catholic Schools Week. Bonnie Charlton of the clothing center is in the background.
Lori McDonald | The Tribune
Hector Salvador, a seventh-grader at St. Ambrose Catholic School, helps organize a clothes rack at the Jackson County Clothing Center on Wednesday. Students were participating in a community service day for Catholic Schools Week.
Lori McDonald | The Tribune
Seventh-graders from St. Ambrose gathered inside a room at the Jackson County Clothing Center on Wednesday while Bonnie Charlton, president of the clothing center board, told the students about the organization and what it offers to the community.
After volunteering for an hour at the clothing center on West Second Street in Seymour, the seventh-graders left with a better understanding of how it helps provide clothing to people who need it.
Hector Salvador said it was good to participate in a service day because it helps other people in the community.
Student Daniel McIntosh said, “Celebrating Catholic Schools Week has been fun, and it’s good we also get to come here and help people in need.”
Yadira Martinez and Emily Trejo were helping McIntosh sort through baby items at the center.
“I’m glad we can help out the community by sorting the clothes and helping out here,” Martinez said.
London Gonzales said he thought having a service day was good to help out the community and for the students to learn more about helping out when they are adults.
Charlton said they have been inundated with donations, which is a good thing, but when they’re shorthanded on volunteers, it makes a little difficult to sort through.
“We’re open 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday and Wednesday, then 1 to 4 p.m. Tuesday and Thursday to accommodate our clients,” Charlton said. “I think this is a fantastic idea for the kids to volunteer today. It really helps us a lot.”
She said the center operates on a bare minimum, and when they have donations, it takes at least two volunteers — one to check people in and one to the bag items. She said it’s a busy operation there.
“Some donation items that are always needed are blankets, throws and comforters sizes full, king and queen, and also, we need towels,” Charlton said.
Seventh grade teacher April Eaton was at the clothing center with the eight students. Leisa Sunbury, the art teacher at St. Ambrose, is vice president of the clothing center board.
Eaton said the school always conducts community service projects throughout National Catholic Schools Week.
“Each grade goes out in the community and does a project of some sort,” she said. “We’ve also been having dress-up days this week. Monday was red, white and blue day, Tuesday was sports apparel, today is school spirit day, Thursday students dress like teachers and teachers dress as students, then Friday they’ll wear warm clothes to go skating at Hamilton Ice Arena.”
Saturday was family day with a chili supper, a dessert auction and a reverse raffle.
Other grades participated in service projects on Wednesday, too. Eighth-graders from St. Ambrose took aluminum can tabs to the Ronald McDonald House and visited Simon Brute Seminary College in Indianapolis, sixth-graders helped at Community Provisions of Jackson County, fifth-graders were at Anchor House Family Assistance Center and Pantry, third- and fourth-graders were at Girls Inc. of Jackson County and kindergartners and first- and second-graders sang for residents at Lutheran Community Home.