HAPPY SHOES DAY!

Forest Gump once said, "You can tell a lot about a person by the shoes they wear... where they've been and where they are going...". 

Our student community has been going strong over the past five months answering the needs of our local and global communities.  In thanksgiving for their generous hearts and service outreach, we celebrated with a free wear your favorite shoes day!  All students could dress out of uniform and have a free jean tag day. A BIG THANK YOU from the Students In Action Leadership team!

 

NEW GREAT THINGS UNDERWAY!

Dear Readers,


This has been an amazing past year! 

This year, new Facebook, Blogs and Websites have been launched for Students In Action members by Jefferson Awards and their affiliates.  Our BA Students will be using these sites to communicate with their fellow students and supporters.  

As a result, this site will officially say, "Goodbye". 

 If you are interested in Campus Ministry activities, you may continue to check-in on our Good News Blog.  http://benedictineacademy.blogspot.com/

We have also created a new blog called "Globe Changers".   This will be a internet meeting place to obtain information on movements underway by our Benedictine Academy Campus Ministry Student Leaders to help save and improve lives...  http://globechangers.blogspot.com/

Inspired and inspiring.  May God Bless You.

 

MORE GOOD NEWS!

We just heard the Good News!

We are pleased to announce the 2011
New Jersey Jefferson Awards Youth Service Honorees.
Benedictine Academy (PBJ Club), Elizabeth

Benedictine Academy (SHAC Club), Elizabeth

"There were so many great youth service projects!

Thanks to everyone who participated in the New Jersey Make Service Count Challenge, a Youth Service Initiative of the NJ Governor's Jefferson Award coordinated by the Star Ledger and the Community Foundation of NJ.

In addition to the Benedictine School Community winning the Jefferson Award New Jersey Regional Competition and Gold Banner for outstanding volunteerism, two of our service clubs are being honored for their exceptional good works at the Newark Museum on May 21.

The PEACE & JUSTICE CLUB has been working diligently at spreading their Anti-Bullying Program to other schools in the local communities and across the states.

The SHAC CLUB (Students Helping All Children) has been focusing their efforts on helping raise awareness to stop child slave labor, especially in the chocolate industry.

Both of these clubs have been leaders of change bringing hope into the world. Together, we can and are making a difference across the globe. How awesome is that!

Pro-Life Rally

Pro-Life Rally at Seton Hall University on Friday was truly amazing!

New Jersey's Eighth Annual Pro-Life Youth Rally was full of messages of "Life, Love, and Joy"! Sean Forrest, Founder of Movin' with the Spirit, the keynote speaker rocked the hall as he spoke of the value of life and the importance of faith and good works. The same faithful students who attended the pro-life march in Washington DC earlier this year attended the Pro-Life Rally at Seton Hall University.

After celebrating together Liturgy of the Word and Eucharist, awards were presented to school service clubs that had been active in their pro-life efforts. Benedictine Academy's Pro-Life Club received an award for all of their outstanding service in collecting baby clothes and donations for unwed mothers. It was an indescribable experience as our Pro-Life Club and Student In Action Team shared with other students information regarding ant-bullying, child slave labor in the chocolate industry, and human trafficking.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s9H8RcsofEQ

WE WON THE GOLD!

Benedictine Academy won the Gold Medal

for Jefferson Award

Regional Competition

for the State of New Jersey!

Our Students In Action Team attended NJPAC for the Spring Regional Competition of the Jefferson Awards this past Tuesday. Mayor Booker was the keynote speaker. He was absolutely amazing as he shared his own leadership stories of challenges and successes. A Yale Law Graduate, he learned a few of his greatest lessons from a wise woman who lived in a housing development in Newark and a mother with two small children on a cross-country plane flight. Mayor Booker spoke about the importance of the human dignity of every human being and the power of choosing to touch another life in small ways with kindness. It was wonderful for our students to hear how the Mayor spoke of the Lord being very present in his life, teaching and guiding him every step of the way. Mayor Cory Booker, himself, is a National Jefferson Award winner.

Students from over a dozen New Jersey High Schools filled the room as they shared their volunteer leadership experiences and worked together to develop proposals for service projects.

Then came the moment for which we were all anxiously waiting. The judging of the SIA Competition was based on 7 criteria: Engaged School Community, Effective Leadership Team, Expanded Volunteer Capacity, Expanded Financial Capacity, Communication of Service Projects, Growth of SIA, and Innovations.

Benedictine Academy scored the highest percentage

of desired outcomes and completed all 7 directives!

Afterwards, Ms. Karen Hatcher shared that the judges commented that BA's Student In Action presentation was "excellent! Nearly every judge gave them perfect marks. They said it was "well-planned", "very engaging", and "great delivery"." (Ms. Karen Hatcher is the Regional Director of Students In Action in New Jersey.)

Mr. Robert Ford, Executive Director of the Jefferson Awards for Public Service, shared, "Your students captured the essence of what makes me proud to be an American citizen, and personify the hope that I have for the future... I look forward to welcoming yourinspirational young leaders to Washington DC as the New Jersey recipients of the Jefferson Awards Outstanding High School ( Volunteerism Service Leadership)."

National Youth Leadership Summit

This weekend, several of our Students In Action Leadership Team headed to Cincinnati, Ohio to attend and present a leadership workshop at the National Youth leadership Conference. It was an amazing experience for all the youth who participated in this empowering event.

The session opened with a motivating speech by Sam Beard, one of the original founders of the prestigious Jefferson Award Service Program.(Jacqueline Onassis, co-founder, established this Nobel Service program to recognize and honor ordinary individuals and groups doing extraordinary things for their communities.) Robert Ford, the National Director of Jefferson Awards out of Washington DC, then delivered an inspiring talk sharing his work with youth all around the globe. Robert Ford shared emphatically with the hundreds of youth present how he believed that they were the "LEADERS OF TODAY"!

Our students formed close friendships with the student leaders fromIllinois and Delaware. They are looking to partner with these schools on various service projects across the nation, as well as to work more closely with Robert Ford on a project in the Philippines for Human trafficking. Their workshop on "how to form a MINGA by engaging the community" was an overwhelming success.

The weekend concluded with a symposium of the various service projects. Judges awarded two $300. grants for service leadership presentations on projects which had the most significant impact on their communities. Benedictine's Academy STUDENTS IN ACTION LEADERSHIP TEAM WERE NAMED THE WINNER OF THE GRANT!

Service Leadership is a critical component of our Mission Statement. At BA, our students are "Listening, Loving, Learning and Leading " the way to making our world a better place.

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

Go to GOOD NEWS BLOG

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

No More Hershey Kisses!

The SHAC SQUAD had a special message for the entire BA community this past Wednesday. Before they collected donations from a Jean Tag Day, they educated everyone on the devastating unjust practices in the chocolate industry, especially Hershey Chocolate. Lend an ear and listen to what they have to say:

The money raised will go to SIA projects such as Human Trafficking and scholarship money for families in need.

Vitamins for Haiti

We joined our dear friends at Morris Catholic High School to help the young children in Haiti this past week. The recent outbreak of cholera had left our little brothers and sisters with severe vitamin deficiencies.

Our SHAC SQAUD, Students Helping All Children, went immediately into action uniting their hearts with the hearts of the French Club to begin a vitamin raising campaign. HUH! Gummi bear vitamins, Flinstone vitamins, and even one-a-day vitamins filled 3 large grocery bags.

Our BA Mission as a Service Leadership School is as simple as A B C:

Awareness
Brainstorm
Call to Action

A few years ago, Morris Catholic High School joined us in our efforts to fight Human Trafficking. This year, our Students In Action Leadership Team reached out to Morris Catholic High School, Del Barton, Good Shepherd Academy, Kean University, St. Catherine of Bologna, and Neumann University to join us in several projects. They all said "yes". Together, we are making a difference in our world for the better. What a privilege and a grace to "Do Something Beautiful for God" (Mother Theresa)!

Hear Ye! Hear Ye!

Last Wednesday, Mr. Kenneth Jennings spoke to the High School Principals at the Newark Archdiocesan meeting. He shared the amazing things that were happening at our school as a result of the Jefferson Awards Student In Action program. Whether it was our students efforts to raise awareness against Human Trafficking and their upcoming trip to the United Nations to meet with their Human Trafficking experts, or the recent CPR training workshop for students and staff to save a potential life, he attributed much of their work to the Students In Action Youth Initiative program to promote and recognize volunteer service. At the end of his brief talk, Mr. Jennings distributed materials on the various programs and invited them to become a Jefferson Awards Student In Action school.

Following in his footsteps, Mrs. Anderson, our Development Director, spoke to our Benedictine familes at the BAPA meeting Thursday evening. She echoed his enthusiasm and belief that being a Jefferson Award Student In Action School has provided the inspiration and support necessary to further engage our students in a multitude of volunteer service opportunities. It is our hope and our dream that everyone of our faculty and families becomes a spokesperson on the importance of serving our brothers and sisters in need.

As Ms. Karen Hatcher, our Regional Director of Jefferson Award SIA said, "Everybody can be great... because anybody can serve... You only need a heart full of grace. A soul generated by love."

UPCOMING SCHEDULED EVENTS

Greetings. We have so many exciting events scheduled for next month that we thought we would give you a sneak preview:

1. March 8: The SHAC SQUAD (Students Helping All Children) are heading to the UN to meet with the Office of Drug and Crime regarding their efforts to stop Human Trafficking.

http://njtoday.net/.../students-work-to-raise-awareness-of-human-trafficking/

1. March 16: The next Student In Action award winners will be recognized. This month we will be awarding an amazing group team (H.UH.!) and an outstanding member of our local community.
2. March 16: A busy day as the SHAC SQUAD heads for Good Shepherd Academy in the afternoon to share with the 6,7,8 graders their current projects and the importance of helping others.
3. March 30: Ms. Karen Hatcher, our Regional Director of SIA, will be giving a short presentation on Jefferson Awards Student In Action Program to all the High School Campus Ministers in the Newark Archdiocese. This is in follow-up to Mr. Ken Jennings recent presentation to all the High School Principals in the diocese.
4. April 1,2,3: Four Student In Action Leadership members shall be heading to the Leadership Conference in Cinc.. Thank you Jefferson Award Student In Action for this exciting opportunity.
5. April 5: Regional Competition for Jefferson Award Student In Action Award.
6. April 8: Speaking engagement at Pro-Life Rally at Seton Hall University to over 800 high school students regarding Jefferson Award Students In Action Program and the importance of volunteer service leadership.

Works of Mercy

The Elizabeth Coalition for the Homeless sent out another call for our BA Students to care for the young children as their parent(s) attended an evening gathering for the adults. It was a fun-filled night as they shared stories and played games with the "little ones".

Twanda commented, "All the kids were so respectful and polite. I would love to do it again. I am learning so much by going and most importantly, I learned alot about giving back!"

It reminds us of the following prayer of St. Francis,
who was known as a person of peace:

"O Divine Master,grant that I may not so much seek
to be consoled, as to console;

to be understood, as to understand;

to be loved, as to love.

For it is in giving that we receive...
... that we are born to Eternal Life."
Amen.

In The Blink of an Eye

"In the blink of an eye, your life can change", reflects Chisom. Lives are at stake and Senior Student In Action Leader, Chisom, is determined to take action in strengthening schools' responses to cardiac arrest. Contacting Newark Beth Israel Hospital, she arranged for their team to come to Benedictine Academy this Thursday to undergo a workshop for certification in CPR, AED & First Aid to all interested staff and students.

"Diegan's bill calls for CPR training for students and staff, as well as the development of an emergency action plan in schools to respond to cardiac arrest and other similar crisis. The Assembly has already approved the bill and we are waiting for the Senate to follow suit. " We urge everyone to write to their Senator to help get this critical bill passed for the safety of both our children and staff.

We do not need to wait till it becomes a law before we do something. Together we can take action to save lives NOW, "one beat at a time.

God works in mysterious ways! Did you ever hear of the phrase, "If the mountain will not come to Mohammed, Mohammed will go to the mountain"? Imagine the Lord using the Internet so that we could meet our new sisters at Anthony of Padua High School in Delaware. Today our Students In Action Leadership Team "Skyped" with our the Students In Action Team in Delaware.

We shared ideas for making our world a better place. They will be joining us in our efforts to stop bullying in the local communities and raise awareness for Human Trafficking. Together, we can quadruple our efforts in protecting the human dignity of our brothers and sisters. We are looking forward to meeting them in person at the Leadership Conference in Cincinnati next month. Benedictine Academy earned an all expense paid trip from Jefferson Awards Youth Initiative for four students who are performing extraordinary service leadership. Great things are happening at Benedictine Academy because our students are amazing.