Campus Ministry Students Appear on Mayor's Show

Excitement filled the air as 8 of our Campus Ministry Student Leaders prepared for their taping of Mayor Bollwage's bi-weekly cable television show. This was the action taken in follow-up to their meeting in our library with the Mayor of Elizabeth a few short weeks ago. The show was taped live (no editing) in two segments. In the first segment of the show, Mayor Bollwage asked the girls questions pertaining to bullying in and out of schools and human trafficking. What is bullying? How common is bullying? What should a person do if they are being bullied? If you have asked these questions yourself, there is an informative website that provides simple and concise answers. http://www.stopbullying.gov/

They also discussed the growing problem of human trafficking. "What is Human Trafficking? How do people recruit their victims? Which countries are affected by Human Trafficking?" If you are interested in learning more about this growing epidemic, visit our Campus Ministry Human Trafficking website and check the United Nations Blue Heart Campaign - http://www.unodc.org/blueheart/ The last segment of the show focused on Child Slave Labor in the chocolate industries. "What exactly does child slave labor entail? How do we know if the chocolate we are eating is from a company who uses slave labor? How can people take a stand against child slave labor?" A few of our students from the SHAC SQUAD (Students Helping All Children) explained that this is a form of modern day slavery to young children between the ages of 12-16 that must be stopped. The best chocolate to buy is Fair Trade Chocolate that carries the Fair Trade Logo. Otherwise, you can go to the Green America website to check out your favorite brand of chocolate. Are there any brands that definitely do not honor the UN Protocol to use cocoa plantations that pay fair wages and do not use child slave labor? Unfortunately, we discovered Hershey Chocolate has made little effort to ensure that their product does not use child slave labor. You can speak out against these unfair practices by not buying Hershey Chocolate or writing to David West at the Hershey company. All the information may be found on Green America's website. http://www.greenamerica.org/programs/responsibleshopper/company.cfm?id=238 Join us in becoming a Voice for the Voiceless. We can do something by speaking out in the light about these grave injustices that are affecting our society, locally and globally.

STATIONS OF THE CROSS

Lent is my favorite time of the year. It is a time when we can listen with the ear of our hearts and hear Jesus whisper in the silence, "Come back to Me... with all your heart... can't you see... we're miles apart... long have I waited..." .

Along with more prayer, we enjoy another long time tradition of our Catholic faith. Catholic Relief Services provides every school with a most wonderful program called Operation Rice Bowl. Each of our students receive a Rice Bowl and is asked to share with those who have less than us. Where does this money go? To our brothers and sisters who are suffering across the globe.

The Stations Of the Cross Prayers are based on CRS' relief efforts. We are grateful to Morris Catholic High School, our partner school in the Jefferson Award program, for sharing this material with us. We hope it will touch your heart as it does ours.

. Stations of the Cross

2011

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March Celebration

Today we celebrated the young women who have worked unceasingly to help stop child slave labor, and a true Unsung Hero who has been with us and the entire City of Elizabeth blessing people and building peace over the years.

The winners of the Jefferson Volunteer Community Service Awards for the month of March are the SHAC Squad, "Students Helping All Children": Kai Alexander, Kelly Amorim, Michelle Colonia, Norky Diaz, Samantha Frejuste, Shervonne Gittens, Samantha Herrejon, Heidy Isabel, Shana Lugay, Crismeldy Segura, and Anglin Thevarajah. These students have united their hearts with the hearts of children being trafficked for slave labor in the chocolate industry. They have organized an aggressive awareness campaign to advocate for these children who do not have a voice. On behalf of all children, we thank the SHAC Squad for answering the call and taking a stand to make our world a better place.

The second honoree of the Jefferson Award was our beloved Police Officer, Sergeant Mike Jones. Not only is Mike the City of Elizabeth's Peace Pacifist, he is the quiet unseen presence in our school and on the streets reaching out, helping people young and old, touching lives and bringing light and hope into their darkness. Whether it is giving someone a hot meal on a cold winter night, providing an opportunity for a young child to play sports with that new pair of sneakers, helping the elderly get the heat turned back on, or mentoring our students in Peer Mediation, Sergeant Mike Jones is ready to serve with his huge heart! He once shared how he saw every distressed person as Jesus in disguise, in need of a compassionate heart and kindness.

Good Shepherd Academy

A professor of Columbia University recently asked, "Would you be interested in learning what a small group of powerful women are capable of?" If you answered "yes", then you want to know more about Benedictine Academy's Students In Action Leadership Team.

Today, the SHAC Squad visited with the 7th & 8th grade students at Good Shepherd Academy. Their mission was to share an action-oriented anti-slavery campaign on the chocolate industry. Our Sophomore students were remarkable as they challenged these young students to be leaders of change in protecting the dignity and rights of young children. It was an hour packed with lessons about effective activism and "hi five tips" for protecting children against Human Trafficking.

It is a global epidemic that is even occurring in our own backyards. "In the United States, almost 75% of Traffickers meet their victims on the Internet", warned our BA Students. They shared about the dangers of chat rooms and talking to strangers on the Internet. The session concluded with the promise that together, we would continue our work to spread the message to help stop child slave labor.

At Benedictine Academy, we believe we have a shared responsibility to build a culture of peace within our local and global communities.

Help Us Help the Helpless

Did you know that over 65 million animals have died due to lack of medicine and shelter in the last two years? The Freshmen Class decided to band together and DO SOMETHING to help save their lives. They asked the rest of their sisters in the school to donate $2. each. All the monies raised were donated to the Associated Human Society founded in 1906. Together, we can and are making a difference.

United Nations and Benedictine Academy Global Initiative

BA's SHAC SQUAD (Students Helping All Children) headed to New York City yesterday to meet with the UNODC (United Nations Office of Drug and Crime) on the pressing issue of Human Trafficking in the United States and across the globe.

It was a truly amazing day as they met around the Conference table with Mr. Shashi Kara and three other lawyers. We learned about the inner workings of the UN General Assembly and Security Council to help protect the rights of the human person, through Resolutions, Proclamations and Protocols. "The Security Council has primary responsibility, under the Charter,for the maintenance of international peace and security," shared Mr. Kara.

Our students then presented the UNODC Team with their Human Trafficking Banner and pledge signed by the school community. They shared their commitment to do something to stop human trafficking by raising awareness with other schools and businesses in the local communities, and their advocacy campaign in the chocolate industry against child slave labor.

The United Nations meeting was both empowering and inspiring for everyone who attended the meeting. Our Students In Action Leadership Team united their hearts to the UNODC and will continue their hard work to combat trafficking of children and young women. H.U.H.! (Hearts Uniting Hearts is the mantra of the SHAC SQUAD)

Mayor Bollwage In Action!

Mayor Bollwage is a Mayor who is dedicated to making Elizabeth a better place. When the Peace & Justice Club invited the Mayor to meet regarding the pressing issues of bullying and human trafficking confronting our society, he immediately responded, "YES"! The meeting took place yesterday in the library at Benedictine Academy. It was an awesome meeting as the Student Leadership Club shared their concerns regarding the protection of the human dignity of their brothers and sisters across the globe.

Thinking globally and acting locally, they shared a phenomenal program in New Jersey available for all ages published by HRSA, STOP BULLYING NOW. Check out their great website for information for parents, students and educators. http://www.stopbullyingnow.hrsa.gov/

They also spoke about the growing epidemic of Human Trafficking in the United States. As Americans and members of the Benedictine Academy community, we have a shared responsibility to become educated on this shameful crime. We can do something by advocating for fair trade in the chocolate industry and by wearing the Blue Heart on your facebook and websites. http://www.unodc.org/blueheart/

They concluded their meeting with a visit to our new state-of-the-art science lab and the agreement to have a follow-up meeting to work together to take action to prevent further hurt in our local communities.

Together we can and are making a difference in our world.

Check out the Cable Show with the Mayor:

part one:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ax82_Cg9iH0&feature=feedu

part two:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7rRSUMRqavw&feature=feedu