Lasallian Youth
Los Desconocidos quilt project is another opportunity where our students can display their lasallian charism. This is a project where students can display their artistic skills while being conscious about the migrant deaths that are happening in our backyard. I will be starting this quilt honoring the migrants that were found in the Tucson sector last fiscal year (2008-2009) this week. Please join me in making and promoting the quilt. I have 208 sqaures that need to be decorated with a persons name or with the word "Desconocido" or "Unknown".
Mrs. Mejia-Garcia
The Lasallian Spirit at El Otro Lado - click for more
SAN MIGUEL HIGH SCHOOL PARTICIPATES IN
BORDER IMMERSION PROJECT
JANUARY 8, 2010 – TUCSON, ARIZONA – On December 30th, San Miguel High School and Cathedral High School of Los Angeles participated in a five-day immersion program called “El Otro Lado.” El Otro Lado, which means “the other side,” refers to the wall that separates Mexico and the United States. This experience gave students an opportunity to visit the southern border of the United States and learn more about the challenges it presents to the men, women and children of Mexico seeking a better life in the United States. Over the five day period, students picked up trash in the desert left by immigrants traveling north, visited water tanks put out by Humane Borders, took a tour of the Tucson-Nogales border, prayed, and participated in other activities designed to give them an opportunity to connect with people living in poverty, marginalized by society and/or fighting injustice.
Both San Miguel and Cathedral High are Lasallian schools of the District of San Francisco. Lasallian schools are inspired by the vision and traditions of St. John Baptiste del La Salle, founder of the Brothers of Christians Schools. The El Otro Lado program was designed to promote the Lasallian tenets of faith, community, service, social justice and simplicity.
“This experience inspired me to want to make a change in the immigration policies of today,” says San Miguel High School sophomore, Maria Vindiola.
St. Paul's School
Friday, January 15, 2010
Karen Baker
The 12th day of Christmas is often referred to as "Twelfth Night," which fell a little over a week ago on Jan. 6.
"Twelfth Night" is also known as "King's Day," commemorating the day when the three wise men visited the baby Jesus, and locally this date kicks off the Mardi Gras season. In honor of this celebration, members of the St. Paul's Mothers Club held a king cake snack day on Jan. 5 for all the students. Mardi Gras day, of course, will be celebrated on Feb. 16.
Each year during the first week back from the Christmas holidays, the senior class takes part in the much anticipated Senior Retreat, held at Nicholls State University in Thibodaux. The seniors, accompanied by faculty members Charlie Legendre, Paul Scoriels, Ken Boesch, Karen Hebert, Jeaneen Schmitt, Liz Brett, Renee Miller, Lee Pierre, Luke Barwick, Robert Simpson and Andrew Dart, spent three incredible days together in what surely the members of the class of 2010 will remember as one of the most special times in their high school careers. The class bonded well together, and certainly enjoyed the time taken to reflect upon their lives both present and looking to the future. The retreat culminated on Jan. 8 in a Mass held in Nicholls' Catholic Student Center where the seniors were given their symbolic Senior Retreat Crosses, blessed by the Mass celebrant.
Much of what goes on during senior retreat is kept a secret, aimed at preserving the experience for each senior class to come.
Meanwhile, the rest of the student body was treated to an unexpected "ice holiday" on Jan. 8 due to freezing temperatures and slick roadways for the majority of the morning. The recent cold temperatures have been enough to partially freeze the school's pond, located on 11th Avenue near the school cafeteria and Retired Brothers' Residence.
The Lasallian Youth Leader organization is beginning its preparation for the first immersion trip in the school's history to Tucson, Ariz., during the Mardi Gras break. From Feb. 16-20 this experience will focus on service dealing with the area and needs of the migrant workers. Prior to their departure, the students who are participating in this program must complete several seminars, which will target essentials for their training. Group moderators Charlie Legendre, Myrle Wiggins, and Brian Logarbo will accompany the group consisting of Alex Levy, Tim Schiro, Raymond Braselman, Nathaniel Frank, E.J. Hummel, Michael Johnston, Dakota Conravey, Thomas Lorando, Chris Barr and Adam Grashoff. During their stay, the students will reside with families from San Miguel High School. This past May, St. Paul families hosted a group from San Miguel, in order for them to experience the annual Wolf Jam event. This music fundraiser specifically supports San Miguel. Both school communities are proud of the ongoing Lasallian connection across the United States and hope to continue it with more service activities in years to come.
Published on NOLA.com
Published in The Times-Picayune Sunday, January 17, 2010