Brick by Brick

Having Fun and Doing Good

That's the formula. Not 'Either/Or' -- but 'Both/And'.

Starting on Sunday, JPII students and staff are set to have a lot of fun with Spirit Week and its various competitions, activities, and themed-days.

Amidst the week of fun is also our chance to do good. Students will compete to raise money for the Haitian Health Foundation, whose founder, Dr. Jeremiah Lowney, will speak at the school on Monday, November 8. The Haitian Health Foundation assists some of the poorest persons in out hemisphere to meet their basic needs. I challenge JPII students to come through huge for the needs of Haiti's vulnerable with a big week of collections. At JPII, having fun and doing good go hand-in-hand. 

Check out the week's HHF activities here.

"If You Think You Can Change the World...You're Wrong"

So began Dr. Jeremiah J. Lowney, President of the Haitian Health Foundation and 1954 graduate of Msgr. Coyle High School, to students at Coyle and Cassidy High School yesterday. He went on to add, however, that young people most certainly  can change a part of the world, as he has done in southern Haiti, and that it is our Christian call to do so. Dr. Lowney's witness was powerful, distressing, and worthy of our attention.

JPII students Matthew Laird and Elizabeth Rossi (representing the Christian prayer and service group CrossWalk), Zach Niedzwiecki (President,   Class of 2012), and John Milligan (President, Class of 2013) traveled to Taunton to hear Dr. Lowney's presentation and, on behalf of the entire students body and Parents Association, present a $1500 donation to the Haitian Health Foundation. It is gratifying to know that money raised will be so well spent.

At JPII, we don't believe in one-time gifts. Speaking with the student-leaders in the car yesterday, I'm confident that we'll be hearing about the Haitian Health Foundation again.

Parents with Spirit

Thanks to Kim Richard and a band of hearty parent volunteers, the JPII Spirit Store will soon have a permanent home -- Room 101, off the cafeteria. It's great to see parents once again "roll up their sleeves" to make a good thing happen.

Pictured below (l to r): Erin Kennedy, Julie Van Kleef, Kim Richard, Paula Murray

Long Overdue

While I rarely feel truly ahead of the game in information technology usage, I recognize its critical importance in preparing students (and our school) for their world, so I do my best to keep up. While blogging once felt "ahead of the curve" (or at least inside the curve!), the advent of Twitter, Facebook, etc. and the school's aggressive forays into these arenas forces a sharpening of  what Brick by Brick tries to communicate -- not so much school information, but meaning and voice.

Forgive my lenghty layoff. To catch up:

• The first-ever JPII Summer Advanced Mathematics and Leadership Academy was an unqualified success. Thirty-three incoming 8th and 9th grade students developed their algebraic skills using science technology freed from the time constraints of the typical school calendar. Throw in The Seven Habits of Highly Effective Teens and you've got a program with real value.

• I'm proud and impressed by the summer organizing efforts of JPII students committed to social action and Christian service. Check out three Christian service activities organized by Holy Cross Intern Annie Cervin. The Gospel of Jesus Christ demands living in a new way...these service opportunities provide an opportunity to do just that. 

• 60+ campers at Coach Demanch'e Cape Cod Football Camp. Football's coming!

• Friends of JPII Tripping Lily are throwing a CD-release party at the school on August 15. They're a cool group of acoustic musicians and it's going to be a great event. Here's the info.

Its clear the JPII is growing and reaching out, even in the summer months. Now if only my posts could keep up...

A Good Friday

First, a moving Catholic Schools Week closing liturgy celebrated by Fr. David Frederici. The theme was 'Celebrate Service', and there's no shortage of JPII students who make service an part of their lives. Check out the remarks given by Tatiana Diaz-Lane, '11 and Ashley Weeks,'11 .

Then, a convincing victory for the boys basketball team. Great way to end the week!

Pictured right: a hearty 'thank you' to the basketball parents for organizing a fun field trip to Boston College's Men's Basketball victory over NC State last Saturday.

Go Irish!

As a Boston College grad, I enjoyed the Eagles' football victory over the Fighting Irish of Notre Dame last weekend. Whether out in the Midwest or here in New England, the gridiron clash between these two outstanding Catholic universities is fun for grads and fans of both schools. It's funny, though, that my appreciation for Notre Dame has only increased since I left Ohio -- due to the growing partnership between the Notre Dame Club of Cape Cod and Pope John Paul II High School.

It started with the ND Club's library donations to JPII in honor of Fr. Theodore Hesburg, legendary former President of Notre Dame. Then, football ticket raffle proceeds to benefit JPII. Our turn came when the ND Club asked our help in collecting clothing for the people of Haiti -- donations sent to South Bend and joined with clothing from across the nation. So how did our students respond?

Five hundred ten articles of clothing. Yup --510. This is what partnership is all about!

The Final Leg

With two-and-a-half weeks to go in the school year, we're certainly on the final turn of the race to complete a successful first year. It might not be surprising to see any school community, especially one with our tiring combination of high ambitions and modest size, get winded in this final lap and stagger to the finish.

This possibility dwelt in the back of my mind when I asked parents and students to form a Pope John Paul II High School  Relay For Life team (Great event! Info here). Especially in the wake of An Evening With Livingston Taylor Concert and Silent Auction, I worried that it was asking too much at this time of the year and without previous Relay For Life experience.

The response from parents: No. Let's do it.

Cancer touches everyone, in one way or another -- So, overnight on June 20, families, friends, and students from Pope John Paul II High School's will make their contribution to the fight against this deadly disease. We have formed a team and will participate in the Relay For Life: Dennis-Yarmouth, which will be held at Dennis-Yarmouth Regional High School. Click here to join our team and/or make a contribution.

Let's end this year with a sprint and not a stagger --  Please support us in whatever way you can.