Students at five Catholic elementary schools in the diocese learned more about Catholic Charities of Long Island, and did direct service for others, during Catholic Schools Week, January 27 to 31.

It was the second consecutive year Catholic Charities personnel visited multiple schools during Catholic Schools Week. Danielle Campbell, director of communications and development at CCLI, led four of the visits, and Tricia Callahan, coordinator of volunteers, led one and participated in another.

Drawstring bags featuring lettering of Catholic Charities of Long Island were given to students at each school.

At St. Brigid/Our Lady of Hope Regional School in Westbury, the program featured an intergenerational luncheon and social activities with members from Catholic Charities senior community centers in West Hempstead and Oceanside. At one table, Catholic Charities driver Richard McElherron, joined eighth-grader Ana Gabriella Ayala and seventh-grader Leonardo Aracena for a lively conversation about siblings and school matters. McElherron, a Catholic school graduate, called it “fantastic” to see his tablemates and their classmates joining in prayer before the meal.

Students shared muffins with the seniors that they had baked a day before. The service project is called St. Martha’s Morsels, according to campus minister Kathy Escorcia. Students and seniors collaborated to craft Valentine’s Day cards and enjoyed playing cornhole, shooting baskets, and even singing karaoke.

Father John Sureau, pastor of St. Brigid’s, and principal Paul Clagnaz both participated in the program, as did Catholic Charities CEO Michael E. Smith. In morning sessions, Campbell addressed students from the lower and upper grades with age-appropriate presentations, including videos highlighting Catholic Charities ministries for Long Islanders. They enthusiastically asked questions about many facets of Catholic Charities' operation.

“What you’re doing with seniors is really beautiful,” noted Campbell, who explained that most seniors don’t have many opportunities to directly interreact with young people.

She was accompanied by staff members Maren Henderson and John Woods, an alumnus of St. Brigid’s School who told current students how working on an autobiography project as a seventh-grader sparked his interest in writing. Callahan made presentations to older and younger students at St. Patrick’s School in Bay Shore. Their Catholic Schools Week theme was Adventure Awaits: Life with Christ is a Wonderful Adventure.

Throughout the year, St. Patrick’s recognizes a student as Disciple of the Week. “The students are encouraged to be a disciple in every aspect of their lives,” Callahan said.

Her presentations focused on Catholic Charities in general and service in particular. With younger students, Callahan drew a body and asked them how they could serve as Christ’s hands, feet, arms, etc., in today’s world. Older grades viewed a video produced by Campbell about Catholic Charities of Long Island programs and discussed how to live out the Gospel call to love one another. Students at St. Patrick’s, where Christine Glynn serves as principal, collected enough diapers and wipes to fill a truck for delivery to Regina Maternity Services in Merrick. “They helped us with more than diapers,” Callahan said. “They are doing such good things at that school, raising good Catholics and contributing members of society.”

Campbell also visited St. Patrick’s School in Smithtown, leading a program for students featuring lessons to be drawn from the Parable of the Good Samaritan.

During a visit to St. John Paul II Regional School in Riverhead, students shared $750 for Catholic Charities of Long Island from proceeds of their dress-down day featuring patriotic colors of red, white, and blue.

The week closed at St. Mary’s School, Manhasset, where Campbell and students and staff enjoyed hot chocolate and chocolate bars in a sweet fundraiser for CCLI.