Students in Grade 3 to 5 attend Our Lady of Victory Camp for a full-day of faith-based activities that are based on the faith theme “All are welcome. All belong.” This retreat offers students to encounter Jesus, the Bible and a prayer community. This initiative has been allocated $1240.
Testimonial
Teachers will select students in Grades 3 to 5 who excel in their studies and have leadership potential will be invited spend a day with community experts in an effort to discover, develop and deepen their passion for an area of study. Seminar topics include faith leaders, newspaper reporters, engineers, architects, city council/mayor, farmers, criminologists, scientists, bankers, etc. Students will also have the opportunity to choose a service group to work with, such as the Ronald McDonald House. This program has been allotted $1432.
Testimonial
A Kind Kids Club will be developed for Grade 3 to 5 students to create and enhance the school community. This group will organize school activities, promote positive mental health and implement initiatives to improve the well-being of students by using the medicine wheel as a guide. This project was given $600.
Testimonial
Grade 7 and 8 students will attend retreats at Our Lady of the Victory Camp that focus on faith development and confirmation. This initiative has been allotted $4050.
Testimonial
“We wish to extend our thanks and gratitude to the Education Foundation Grant for contributing to the Our Lady of Victory Camp retreats this year. The continued support of the Education Foundation Grant has been invaluable in allowing St. Francis students the opportunity to provide such engaging and meaningful Christ-centered experiences for our students.
This year the students engaged in a number of different activities that helped them learn about faith as well as engage in nature. The activities included; Saint Skits, Nature Reflection Walks, Capture the Flag and a session on our division theme “All are Welcome, All Belong”.
The students joyfully engaged in these activities and had positive feedback such as…
At St. Francis we place a great deal of value in engaging our student body in activities that relate a relationship to God with fun and joyful activity. We also value experiences where students see the glory of God through nature and the world around them. With the help of the Education Foundation Grant, we were able to bring these experiences to our student body and help them see the joy in a relationship with Jesus. Thank you for your support in our endeavours to bring Christ to our students.”
As a continuation of a positive mental and physical health program that was developed in September 2016, students will be able to participate again in this project for the upcoming school year. The goal of this project is for students to develop leadership skills and modelling positive behaviours, while improving aspects of mental and physical health. This project has been given $2500.
Testimonial
“Thank you to the Education Foundation for supporting our recognition program, designating funds to the prizes, games and activities that students and staff participate in and receive. Our recognition program helps encourage students to live a life according to Christ, show kindness, school pride and respect in their day to day actions. This program helps us build a positive, joyful community.”
The school will purchase a mass kit to allow students to participate regularly in mass, which emphasizes the centrality of the Eucharist while forming leaders inspired by Christ and His Church. The school has been given $6000 for these supplies.
Testimonial
“We at St. Joseph High School were blessed to receive funding from the Catholic Education Foundation to purchase various items for our chapel. We now have all that is necessary to celebrate the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass for small groups as well as our whole school division. Our first Mass was the division opening Mass on August 30, 2017. We have celebrated Mass on the third Thursday of every month with Fr. Tom. On October 28 we hosted the Archdiocesan Youth Rally where we began with Mass in the morning and continued with adoration throughout the rest of the day. Our chapel was the focal point of the day. It is with immense gratitude that we thank the Catholic Education Foundation for their generous contribution to our school.”
The Bucket Filling Brigade is a group of Grade 4 and 5 students who choose to be leaders in the school community. Students who are part of this group support mental, emotional and physical health initiatives. The program was allotted $900.
Testimonial
“A big thank you to the Education Foundation for supporting St. Teresa’s ‘Bucket Filling For Jesus Brigade’. A few of our highlights so far this year: Leadership Retreat at Sacred Heart Church, Halloween Candy Trade-In Program with donations to the Mustard Seed/Safe Harbour/Red Deer Hospital, classroom visits explaining our monthly virtue and helping at assemblies!”
In response to high demand and increased number of students, the Kind Kids Club will continue next year at the school. This group meets weekly to discuss and create activities to promote faith, kindness, acceptance and positive mental health in the school community. This initiative has been given $600.
Testimonial
“St. Teresa’s ‘Kind Kids Club’ had a busy startup! October: ‘We Scare Hunger’ School Wide Challenge – Look at all the food we collected! November: ‘Spread Kindness’ Library Initiative – Students were excited to find bookmarks with messages hidden in their library books. December: ‘Candy Cane Prayers’ were shared with all students in the school. January: ‘Choose Kindness Posters’ distributed throughout the school. A big thanks to the Education Foundation for the grant to help support our Kind Kids Club!”
Grade 7 and 9 students will participate in NET retreats in the fall, which focus on kindness and mercy in relationships, as well as God’s love. Grade 6 and 8 students will Our Lady of Victory Camp and be involved in a variety of faith-based games, sessions, skits, music, and prayer. These retreats have been allotted $5000.
