Apostolic Works

Villa Duchesne and Oak Hill School

St. Louis, Missourihttp://www.vdoh.org

July, 2010

"Try to render all possible service toothers, not talking of the thing, but doing it.If you are known to be a person who lovesto serve, many opportunities will come inyour way, to your great inconvenienceperhaps, but to your far greater profit andinstruction.“

Janet Erskine Stuart, RSCJ 

Activities, Programs, and IntegrationVilla Duchesne

• Annual “Spring Break” service trip to Mexico (expanding)• Service trip to Guatemala• Exchange students from Taiwan in Service Learning• Giving to Uganda

– Planned by students– Carnival versus Dance Marathon

• Technology contributions to Haiti, Marginalized Schools and Organizations

• Liturgies and Prayer Services• Strong recycling program• Champions for Character Award• 1:1 Computing with Tablet PC: Social Justice• After School Chinese and Japanese Language

Relationships and Transformation

Grades 7-12Service Learning

• Wednesday morning Service Learning• Opportunities for off campus experiential

learning– develops students’ understanding society– enables participation in an active contribution– enhances skills in responsibility, initiative,

communication, and team work

• Structured reflection and journaling • Frequent informal discussions

Grades 7-12Service Learning

• Freshmen young children

• Sophomores and Juniors tutor and facilitate enrichment programs at food banks, schools for disabled students, work on environmental projects, and assist agencies that serve people in poverty

• Seniors independent service project: forty hours and related to a social justice issue

St. Louis Area Foodbank

for

Exchange Students

Activities, Programs, and IntegrationOak Hill

• Almsgiving for Uganda, etc.• Exchange students from Taiwan in Service

Learning• Participate at http://www.freerice.com• Support activities (Dance Marathon,

Canned Food, Christmas Baskets, etc.)• Exchange students from Mexico and Chile

(educational and medical)

Service Learning Experience for

Exchange Students

Activities, Programs, and IntegrationOak Hill

• Apostolic Works– Adopting Organizations

• St. Vincent de Paul, Mary Ryder Home, Family Resource Center, Birthright, MAT Center, St. Patrick’s Center, Heart Association, Humane Society

– Student gives up birthday gifts in lieu of unwrapped items for Birthright

– Shoeboxes with “goodies”– Environmental issues

• Recycling• Cleaning campus

– Not all about money collected but acts of service; a continual thought process of character

Junior Kindergarten (Ages 3-4)

• Works with Birthright Counseling

• Families donate layette items, diapers, bottles, toys and other baby items

• JK students actively collect, manage, and help deliver

• Tie into curriculum with “Pro-Life” and Oak Hill Liturgy

Kindergarten

• Work with Our Little Haven

• A residential center for abused and neglected children ages birth through seven years

• Students collect and coordinate clothing, toys, and supplies

• Tie into curriculum

First and Second Grade• M. A. T. Center at St Alphonsus Rock Church Food Pantry• Created a “favorite” recipe book where sales directly impacted the center• Collect food, clothing, toys and money• The students are encouraged to work for the money not ask

– Raffle tickets (good works from first day of school)• Last year students earned nearly $2,000.00 plus brought in food,

clothing and toys

Third Grade• Support the Family Resource Center• United Way agency for abused children and their families• Sponsor bake sales to provide Christmas presents for the center children• Students also provide toys, games and clothing• Use e-journals and Internet research to further understanding and enrich experiences

Fourth Grade

• Students learn specific ways in which to take care of our earth while sharing their knowledge with the school community

• Learn about global warming and researching ways our campus can help limit waste

• Responsible for: – keeping campus litter free– Recycling program– Provide each classroom with recycling bin

Fifth Grade• Students work with the Mary Ryder Home

• A home for elderly women and men who might be homeless; providing a catholic environment and place to call “home”

• Students “adopt” a grandparent and develop a relationship through regular correspondence and visits

• Students also plan and participate in bake sales and raffles to support the home

• Christmas visits with “shoebox” of personal items with Christmas carols, etc.

• In the spring, students provide flowers for the activity of summer planting

Sixth Grade• Giving “time”

• Volunteer weekly at St. Vincent de Paul sandwich window with prepared sandwiches from home

• Class time is given for reflections of this action

• Effect on student

• Effect on residents

• Also serve at the soup kitchen; coordinated by the 6th grade room mothers

• Impelling to action and building community

Sixth Grade

“Our actions today made a difference in the people’s lives by giving them food and drink. Also, we showed them that as Christians we care for them.” George

“I felt so good after serving the people. That small little thing I did really made a difference in these people’s lives.” Margot

“My actions today made a difference in people’s lives by giving them hope that they are cared for and that God is watching over them. He sent us there to help them.” Grace

Sixth Grade

“Our actions today made a difference in the people’s lives by giving them food and drink. Also, we showed them that as Christians we care for them.” George

“I felt so good after serving the people. That small little thing I did really made a difference in these people’s lives.” Margot

“My actions today made a difference in people’s lives by giving them hope that they are cared for and that God is watching over them. He sent us there to help them.” Grace

Physical Education

• Sponsors Jump Rope for Heart with donations to the American Heart Association

School Community• School Dance Marathon replaced the Carnival• Thanksgiving Baskets benefit Webster/Rock Hill

Ministries• Thespian canned food drive collecting over 50,000

canned food items• Christmas Baskets provide for over 50 local charities

and centers• Lenten almsgiving project provides for the RSCJ

mission…the Sacred Heart School in Uganda• Dinners for Families in Need for our School

community• Collection of “chapstick” for US soldiers in

Afghanistan

Purpose: Goal ThreeSchools of the Sacred Heart commit themselves to educate to a social awareness which impels to action.

The school educates to a critical consciousness that leads its total community to analyze and reflect on the values of society and to act for justice.

The school offers all its members opportunities for direct service and advocacy and instills a life-long commitment to service.

The school is linked in a reciprocal manner with ministries among people who are poor, marginalized and suffering from injustice.

In our multicultural world, the school prepares and inspires students to be active, informed, and responsible citizens locally, nationally, and globally.

The school teaches respect for creation and prepares students to be stewards of the earth's resources.

Useful Resources• SOFIE (http://www.sofie.org)

• RSCJ International (http://www.rscjinternational.org/)

• The UN (http://www.un.org/millenniumgoals/)

• Free Rice (http://www.freerice.com)

• Birthright Counseling (http://www.birthrightstl.org/)

• Our Little Haven (http://www.ourlittlehaven.org/)

• Mary Ryder Home (http://www.maryryderhome.org/)

• St. Vincent De Paul (http://www.svdpstl.org/)

• Webster/Rock Hill Ministries (http://www.wgpc.org/index.php?page=mission-and-volunteer-opportunities)