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Introduction to Christian Service |
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"Great occasions for serving God come seldom, but little ones surround us daily."
St. Francis de Sales
The purpose of this program of service at St. Francis de Sales High School is to give the students an opportunity to exercise the values as exemplified by our patron saint, St. Francis de Sales, the gentleman saint.
This program and requirement is to give the students a way of exercising the values of Jesus in a very active and overt way. By concentrating on our local community, students can see the impact they make and how they are giving back something to the community. The community sees a multi-cultural dimensional portrait of the student, based on high visibility and as a positive role model. Young people so often are stereotyped in a negative fashion and really they do so much good and with so much energy.
St. Francis de Sales requires all of their students to complete service which engages them directly with other people. The students gain new experiences such as adjusting to the needs of others and understanding those people with different viewpoints and from different cultures. There is an opportunity to reflect upon these experiences after they complete their hours. However, many continue their volunteering because they are unable to sever the relationships and because they have received so very much themselves.
The class of 2011 completed more than 4,800 hours their senior year. Prior to their senior year, 56 seniors served in Louisville, Kentucky at Catholic Heart Work Camp and in Hamlin, West Virginia at YouthWorks. Several seniors provided children with help in programs like "Lose the Training Wheels Bike Camp", The JOSH project and Camp Courageous. As the school year continued the seniors ventured to several area agencies to help assist in their service throughout the Northwest Ohio community. They tutored at Grace Community Center and Kids Unlimited, spent time with the elderly at Luther Home of Mercy, Erie West Hospice and other facilities. Their visual presence was well noted.
“There is nothing small in the service of God”
St. Francis de Sales
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