Springfield Catholic schools join forces in kick-off for Catholic Schools Week
Catie Eck and Alyssa Swenny from Blessed Sacrament School and Sophia Mayfield and Mia Polistina from St. Agnes School pray during a Catholic Schools Week gathering of all third-grade students from Catholic grade schools in Springfield. Third-grade students and their teachers from all the Catholic grade schools in Springfield joined forces Jan. 23 to perform service projects and kick off Catholic Schools Week. The 225 students represented Blessed Sacrament, Cathedral, Christ the King, Little Flower, St. Aloysius, St. Agnes, St. Joseph and St. Patrick.
The all-day event, which included lunch, was held at St. Agnes School, which has a facility large enough to accommodate multiple simultaneous group activities while the remainder of the school's classes were also in session.
The third-graders brought canned goods to donate to the needy through the Sacred Heart-Griffin High School "Souperbowl" food collection. They heard speakers from service organizations describe their work.
"The purpose of the day is to build community and fellowship, and to foster a unity of spirit among our schools," said Sister M. Joan Sorge, OP, St. Agnes principal, at the opening assembly and prayer service in the St. Agnes gymnasium. Principals from the other schools joined the third-graders for the opening assembly.
Students were then divided randomly into 12 groups, with each group named for an apostle. The third-grade teachers then spread out to multiple locations, where they led half-hour sessions in a variety of academic and creative activities. A spelling race, a science project making foil boats, math facts relay, mural depiction of togetherness, and hands of service, were but some of the activities.
"Each Catholic school in our community is unique and offers excellent opportunities throughout the school year. However, this was a special day for all third-grade students to meet, work and pray together as one," said Marilyn Missel, associate superintendent of education in the diocesan Office for Catechesis.