Blessed Sacrament is proud to be first outpost of St. Joseph’s/Candler’s Angels of Mercy Teen Angel program – a community volunteer/education initiative that engages youth and promotes public service through volunteerism.
Service Learning:
Kathleen Benton named: B.S.S. Student Service Learning Coordinator.
Below is a listing of explanation: The overall mission of service learning is to help the students understand altruism, to take ownership over volunteering and to learn empathy. The goal is to provide students with the opportunity to engage with persons of diverse cultural, socio-economic, and physical backgrounds so that they might experience their challenge, develop passion for humanity, and provide help through understanding. Each grade was paired
with a philanthropic organization to be presented to the school with their assigned, monthly mission. They were also paired with a similar service project which unfolds throughout the school year. The grade pairings were based upon teacher preference. The chosen projects were based on the local non-profit organizations’ willingness to work interactively with students and provide engaged educational opportunities.
2017 PAIRINGS:
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Pre K: Learns about general kindness towards those who are different, Intro to the book, Daniel’s World; A Book about children with disabilities which focuses on acceptance of differences. In January, students are given a signed copy of the book and the goal to count towards kindness. If they achieve their top bucket
goal, they are rewarded with an ice cream party in spring. Parents are sent letters homes asking that they read the book to their child and are surveyed on how often they read and discussed this lesson.
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Kindergarten: Learns about loving our elders, paired with the local nursing home throughout the year. Students are buddied up with Nursing Home residents to interact at field trip and create crafts throughout the year. They will learn about the challenges of living in a nursing home, specifically loneliness, and be encouraged to visit with the resident they are buddied up with. They will raise funds for Alzheimer’s Association in April as they lead the school in presenting their cause.
-1st grade: Learns about the importance of animals and educated on projects of pet therapy. They will raise money and engage with the pets ‘meals on wheels’ program at Senior Citizens in March. This program keeps therapy pets in the homes of lonely elderly. They will present and inspire the school to bring in supplies for this fundraiser.
–2nd grade: Learns about the hungry in our area and community efforts for local garden, through Farmer’s Market. Leads the efforts to collect food in November and engages with Second Harvest and Social Apostolate throughout the year. They will focus on the hungry and their health brainstorming plans to bring healthier foods to those without their basic needs. They will present to the school in November for the food drive.
–3rd grade: Learns about Blood Disease and helping humanity in emergency with ongoing work through the American Red Cross and a September Mission to raise monies for Leukemia. They present about Leukemia/Lymphoma but will focus on Red Cross blood drives and emergency preparedness throughout the year.
–4th grade: Learns about developmental disabilities with efforts through the year to partner and form relationships with the folks at Abilities Unlimited who train for Special Olympics. The October mission for Special Olympics is their challenge to present to our school for this fundraising.
–5th grade: Learns about caregivers, those who spend all day and night caring for the chronically ill (demented parents and chronically ill children) through Edel Caregiver Center. They also join in this mission for January fundraising.
–6th grade: Learns about those on fixed incomes working with the Rose of Sharon complex and partnering with this entity to raise money/send presents in December and support with letters and activities throughout the year.
–7th grade: Learns about the homebound and those who are forced to stay home because of illness and disability. They will send crafts, pen pal and field trip to book read to residents in Williams Court and SOURCE programs. They will take the February mission raising money for those chronically ill and homebound with Proteus Syndrome.
–8th grade: Learns about cultural diversity and the immigrant population at Our Lady of Lourdes Parish. They will visit with a student their age living with immigrant parents, attend Mass, and raise funds and prizes for the poor parish events. Their philanthropy will align with the international sister school in May.
Required Service Hours per Grade Level:
6th Grade – 20 hours
- (At least) 5 hours from each category
- plus 5 elective hours selected from any category of student’s choice
7th Grade – 30 hours
- 5 hours from Home/Neighborhood
- 10 hours from School/Parish
- 15 hours from Community
8th Grade – 40 hours
- 10 hours from Home/Neighborhood
- 10 hours from School/Parish
- 20 hours from Community
For more information, please contact Dr. Kathleen Benton at 912-667-7527.