May 5, 2010

Catholic Schools Roudup

As we Students show shear love
Four Catholic school students made a Lenten promise in September to donate hair to the Locks of Love Program. The nonprofit program provides hairpieces to financially disadvantaged children in the United States and Canada who suffer from long-term medical hair loss.  The girls—Katie Jo White, Monica Konizeski and Katie Hoeft who attend St. Louis School in Englewood and Melissa Brunkala who attends All Souls in Englewood—grew out their hair so that it was the program’s mandatory 10 inches long.  After Easter, on April 7, they were all treated to a complimentary cut and style at Blondie’s Hair Salon.  At Mass the following day, St. Louis pastor Father Robert Reycraft blessed the students and the hair before it was sent to the Locks of Love center in Florida.

‘Lending a Hand to Haiti’
Just because they couldn’t personally go to Haiti didn’t mean the students of Good Shepherd School in Denver couldn’t do something to help the victims of the devastating earthquake there.  Students got together to organize Lending a Hand to Haiti, a program of performing service chores, anything from vacuuming to washing dishes to babysitting for parents, relatives and friends.  Thanks to their efforts, the students brought in $2,226.45, which was added to the $930 collected at a student dance for a grand total of $3,156.45. The money was given to Catholic Relief Services for Haiti relief. 

Winning writers
St. Joseph School in Fort Collins is doubly proud as two of their students recently won a state-wide essay contest.  Shannan Conlon and Catherine Choi won the eighth-grade and sixth-grade competitions respectively of the annual Daughters of the American Revolution essay contest.  This year’s topic was, “The Completion of the First Transcontinental Railroad.”  Both girls were honored, along with other Colorado winners at an awards luncheon on April 10.  Their essays were chosen from those submitted by over 40 chapters in the state.  Conlon’s essay also won the southwest regional competition and now will compete in the national competition. 

Scholarship winners
Arrupe Jesuit High School recently announced that five members of this year’s graduating class were named Daniels Scholars.  The five—Michael Gonzales, Jose Madrid, Michelle Ramirez, Lisa Solorio and Josiel Tamariz—are each the first in their families to attend college. The Daniels Scholarship program was established by cable pioneer Bill Daniels to seek promising students with financial need who demonstrate strength of character and a record of accomplishment.