Service and Ministry
Each school year, the students of St. Monica School participate in a multitude of service and ministry related projects. Such projects allow teachers to integrate Catholic social teachings into real-world issues and events; students’ understanding of their faith and their ability to affect positive social change are greatly enhanced. In short, these social mission opportunities expand upon the faith-based mission of the school: to educate children how to learn, live, and love through Jesus.
Many of these service-related projects are undertaken by the entire school community (students in junior kindergarten through eighth grade are involved). Other projects are grade-specific and often times are a traditional element of that grade’s curriculum. Regardless of the projects’ scope, these learning and sharing opportunities all have one thing in common: they develop leadership skills; foster a sense of responsibility and active participation in our faith; and promote the importance of giving back as God calls us to do. Below is a recent list of various St. Monica School service-and-ministry related projects.
St. Monica School eighth grade students decided to put their artistic abilities to use to help local needy. At the suggestion of science teacher Carmen Bond and with guidance from art teacher Sue Miller, the students made ceramic bowls for the Annual "Empty Bowls Milwaukee" event held on a Saturday in early October. This project is a fundraising event to benefit food pantries in the Greater Milwaukee area. For the suggested minimum donation of $15, attendees could select from over 2,000 handcrafted bowls donated by local artists, teachers, and students from Southeastern Wisconsin. In 2010, the faculty also created bowls towards the project. The bowls were to be taken home as a reminder that someone's bowl is always empty.
The Eighth Grade Class Trip
As is tradition at most grade schools, each spring the 8th grade students of St. Monica School take an end-of-year class trip. Unlike most other grade schools, their class trip is the culmination of a yearlong spiritual and intellectual journey of service.
Past Principal Karen Rambadt challenged the school's junior high staff to develop a more meaningful and encompassing class trip. Prior graduating classes had spent several days in Washington, D.C., and while the trip was informative, it lacked the faith-based component embodied in the education St. Monica School students receive. Additionally, Principal Rambadt hoped for more of a "journey" in which students could contribute to the surrounding community as part of their ministry and service focus.
The junior high staff, led by then-teacher and religion coordinator Ann Chrusciel (Chrusciel retired from SMS at the end of the 2003-2004 school year), tackled the challenge and crafted an experience like no other for the students. Instead of a single service project, they proposed a yearlong service project. The project would allow students to work together to benefit others. It would include all aspects of the curriculum and provide students with a wealth of historical knowledge and spiritual experience. It would foster a lasting bond amongst students in the class. Most importantly, it would offer students the opportunity to form a lasting, meaningful relationship with a group of people of different culture and traditions.
Currently, the trip lead by Carmen Bond and Diane Shumaker, both Jr. High lead teachers, involves a visit to the Lakota people living on the Pine Ridge reservation in South Dakota. Throughout their 8th grade school year, St. Monica students learned about Native American history and culture; corresponded with students and other tribe members on the reservation; met with various advocates for Native Americans; and involved surrounding communities through fundraisers and supply drives to benefit the Lakota people.
Then, after a year of study, reflection, and action, the students embarked on a four-day trip to the reservation. There, they met with the adults and children with whom they had corresponded. The students carried with them the fruits of their labor: clothing, old watches they learned to repair themselves, school supplies, food, and quilting fabric. As many students later noted in their trip journals, they witnessed a people rich in spirit and proud of their history and culture.
The yearlong journey was a challenging and enriching experience for the students. The experience helped them grow spiritually and intellectually in a way no textbook can. Moreover, it taught them about the importance of reaching out to help others and the value of respecting and celebrating our differences as people of God. What began as a project was actually only a beginning, as each successive graduating class will pass the journey in ministry and service on to the class to follow, building upon the relationships already established.
In June 2003, the Archdiocese of Milwaukee presented St. Monica School with its "Justice and Peace" award. The award recognized the contributions made by staff and students toward justice and peace through their journey with the Lakota people.
Each school year, the students of St. Monica School participate in a multitude of service and ministry related projects. Such projects allow teachers to integrate Catholic social teachings into real-world issues and events; students’ understanding of their faith and their ability to affect positive social change are greatly enhanced. In short, these social mission opportunities expand upon the faith-based mission of the school: to educate children how to learn, live, and love through Jesus.
Many of these service-related projects are undertaken by the entire school community (students in junior kindergarten through eighth grade are involved). Other projects are grade-specific and often times are a traditional element of that grade’s curriculum. Regardless of the projects’ scope, these learning and sharing opportunities all have one thing in common: they develop leadership skills; foster a sense of responsibility and active participation in our faith; and promote the importance of giving back as God calls us to do. Below is a recent list of various St. Monica School service-and-ministry related projects.
- Clothing drive to benefit the Lakota people living on the Pine Ridge reservation in South Dakota
- Candy drive and seed collection to benefit the Lakota people living on the Pine Ridge reservation in South Dakota
- School supply and personal hygiene drive to benefit the Lakota people living on the Pine Ridge reservation in South Dakota and schools in Africa.
- Pet supply drive to benefit the Milwaukee Area Humane Society
- Rice Bowl – students forego regular lunch menu in lieu of rice (money raised allocated for various organizations i.e. St. Vincent de Paul and St. Augustine High School in New Orleans) several times each school year
- “Coats for Kids” (students participate in community-sponsored event)
- Christmas giving trees and adoption of needy families
- Breast Cancer fundraiser-Purchase casual dress in pink day coupons-Donations to the Breast Cancer Foundation of Wisconsin
- “Jump Rope for Heart”
- Winter clothing drive to benefit residents of Meta House
- Marathon fundraiser for scholarship fund in memory of former school secretary-Diane Woodke
- Coat and blanket drive to benefit needy immigrant families
- Food drive during May Crowning to benefit St. Josephat’s Food Pantry during
- Advent cookies for St. Francis Seminarians and letters for “Priesthood Sunday”
- School supply and healthy snack collection for Blessed Savior South School in Milwaukee
- January 2011 Peanut Butter and Jelly Sandwich Ministry-local food pantries
- Sr. K Annual Circus collection for Catholic Relief Services
- Sr. K Advent “Poor Boxes” for local soup kitchen benefiting the homeless
- Cards for children baptized in Parish
- “Random Acts of Kindness” program
- Tutoring of K-4 students, three times per week and during recess
- Toy and school supply collection for Sojourner Truth House
- Distribution of religious items (i.e. rosaries, bibles) and prayers to African Missionaries – via Organization Magnificat
- Participation in meal program (sponsored by Whitefish Bay Dominican High School) to benefit St. Ben’s food pantry
- Stamp collection to benefit residents of Veterans Hospital
- Making of Valentine’s Day cards for Milwaukee-area veterans
- Collections to Milwaukee Catholic Home: Thanksgiving and Easter cards, cookies, prayer bouquets and May flowers.
- Participation in annual “Empty Bowls Milwaukee” fundraising event to benefit food pantries in the Greater Milwaukee area
- 8th grade service mission trip to South Dakota
- Jr. High Lenten jewelry collection for St. Anne Center
- K4-3 grade Read-a-Thon to benefit school library and local charities
- House of Peace Thanksgiving food collection and Christmas Toy drive
- Jr. High rosaries and letters for the Troops
- Girl Scout book collection for House of Peace
- December Sock collection
- January 2012 Blankets for Ronald McDonald House
- 2012-“Bottles for Babies: all school service project benefiting the Women’s Care Center of Milwaukee
- 2010 Coat-Hat-Mitten collection for Blessed Savior South School in Milwaukee
- Blankets for the Baptized- St. Monica Parish
- “Keeping our school Clean”- School wide trash and garbage pick-up
- Bake Sale for Haiti
- November 2011-“Make a Difference Day’”: (in conjunction with St. Monica Religious Ed. Grades 5-8) Neighborhood clean-up and sandwich ministry.
St. Monica School eighth grade students decided to put their artistic abilities to use to help local needy. At the suggestion of science teacher Carmen Bond and with guidance from art teacher Sue Miller, the students made ceramic bowls for the Annual "Empty Bowls Milwaukee" event held on a Saturday in early October. This project is a fundraising event to benefit food pantries in the Greater Milwaukee area. For the suggested minimum donation of $15, attendees could select from over 2,000 handcrafted bowls donated by local artists, teachers, and students from Southeastern Wisconsin. In 2010, the faculty also created bowls towards the project. The bowls were to be taken home as a reminder that someone's bowl is always empty.
The Eighth Grade Class Trip
As is tradition at most grade schools, each spring the 8th grade students of St. Monica School take an end-of-year class trip. Unlike most other grade schools, their class trip is the culmination of a yearlong spiritual and intellectual journey of service.
Past Principal Karen Rambadt challenged the school's junior high staff to develop a more meaningful and encompassing class trip. Prior graduating classes had spent several days in Washington, D.C., and while the trip was informative, it lacked the faith-based component embodied in the education St. Monica School students receive. Additionally, Principal Rambadt hoped for more of a "journey" in which students could contribute to the surrounding community as part of their ministry and service focus.
The junior high staff, led by then-teacher and religion coordinator Ann Chrusciel (Chrusciel retired from SMS at the end of the 2003-2004 school year), tackled the challenge and crafted an experience like no other for the students. Instead of a single service project, they proposed a yearlong service project. The project would allow students to work together to benefit others. It would include all aspects of the curriculum and provide students with a wealth of historical knowledge and spiritual experience. It would foster a lasting bond amongst students in the class. Most importantly, it would offer students the opportunity to form a lasting, meaningful relationship with a group of people of different culture and traditions.
Currently, the trip lead by Carmen Bond and Diane Shumaker, both Jr. High lead teachers, involves a visit to the Lakota people living on the Pine Ridge reservation in South Dakota. Throughout their 8th grade school year, St. Monica students learned about Native American history and culture; corresponded with students and other tribe members on the reservation; met with various advocates for Native Americans; and involved surrounding communities through fundraisers and supply drives to benefit the Lakota people.
Then, after a year of study, reflection, and action, the students embarked on a four-day trip to the reservation. There, they met with the adults and children with whom they had corresponded. The students carried with them the fruits of their labor: clothing, old watches they learned to repair themselves, school supplies, food, and quilting fabric. As many students later noted in their trip journals, they witnessed a people rich in spirit and proud of their history and culture.
The yearlong journey was a challenging and enriching experience for the students. The experience helped them grow spiritually and intellectually in a way no textbook can. Moreover, it taught them about the importance of reaching out to help others and the value of respecting and celebrating our differences as people of God. What began as a project was actually only a beginning, as each successive graduating class will pass the journey in ministry and service on to the class to follow, building upon the relationships already established.
In June 2003, the Archdiocese of Milwaukee presented St. Monica School with its "Justice and Peace" award. The award recognized the contributions made by staff and students toward justice and peace through their journey with the Lakota people.