With Mission in Mind—May 3, 2021


Reflection from Kendall Mallette, Director of Mission Integration

Grade 8 Day of Service

Living the Legacy of Mother Warde through our Charism of Service during the pandemic has presented many obstacles, but the Class of 2021, the Grade 8 Team, and a team of administrators and parents teamed up and successfully cleared many hurdles by coming together on April 30 for the first-ever Grade 8 Day of Service. Students chose from eight different service opportunities including: Alliance for the Great Lakes (Oak Street Beach), Cradles to Crayons, Greater Chicago Food Depository (pictured above), Lakeview Pantry (Avondale site), Mercy Home Drive, Misericordia (virtual option), The Pilsen Clothes Closet, and The Pilsen Social Health Initiative Food Pantry. Volunteerism is a cornerstone of the FXW student experience and our community has continued to lead with love.

The Day of Service was birthed from an expressed need to provide COVID-friendly activities for Grade 8 students that would allow them to come together as a graduating class. Out of the myriad of activities the Grade 8 Team, Administrators, Living the Legacy, and the Parent Advisory Committee (PAC) representatives brainstormed, the Day of Service not only met the goals of the day, but also incorporated our School’s mission. After months of planning and coordination, students were able to sign up for a morning session and/or afternoon session to serve. A silver lining of the pandemic, the Day of Service now serves as the kickoff to Grade 8 end-of-year Rites and Rituals.

Grade 8 Science teacher and Team lead Meagan Dimit reflects, “I am so glad we were able to do this for students. We have been planning this day for months. It was rewarding to see eighth grade students choose ways to spend their day with their classmates by serving others. It also provided an opportunity to see students outside the four walls of the classroom which has been rare this year. I sincerely hope the Class of 2021 has started a new FXW tradition.”

We applaud the partnership of our adult community and the efforts of our Grade 8 students in continuing to work towards the greater good of others.

Selah

—Kendall Mallette, Director of Mission Integration