Kicking off Catholic Schools Week

SANDUSKY — Catholic Schools Week, Jan. 29 to Feb. 4, is here. Each year, local Catholic schools participate in a national celebration recognizing the value of a Catholic education. The week includes special activities at the school. Brittany Sternberg, Sandusky Central Catholic School's director of campus ministry, hopes students have a fun week, feel loved by their teachers and administrators and that they take the time to recognize how blessed they are to receive a Catholic education. "We get to celebrate who we are, and it kind of feels like we're showing off a little," senior Olivia Morse said. The school started its celebration by having a mentoring day. Students in the junior and high schools visited students in the elementary school. "The elementary students love seeing their role models, and the older students love the joy and energy the younger students bring," Sternberg said. The students worked together on a faith-based project. They colored a piece of paper with a design on it. Each piece would fit with the others in the class to make a large poster. As the younger and older students talked during the project, laughter carried through the classroom. They got to know each other a little more. "It forms bonds, and it helps connect the entire school," said Morse. Mentoring days happen a few times throughout the school year, but this one coincided with Catholic Schools Week. "One of the missions of Catholic Schools Week is to celebrate what makes a Catholic school different in design," Sternberg said. "Truly, a mentoring day captures the opportunities available at a small, Catholic school." There are also other exciting events planned for the week. Morse, who loves ice cream, said she looks forward to the ice cream social each year. "We also have a Mass with the bishop," senior Amanda Millis said. "It's pretty special that he'll be at our school." Students from St. Peter School in Huron and Immaculate Conception School in Port Clinton will join Sandusky Central Catholic School for Mass with Bishop Daniel Thomas on Friday. "It is an exclamation mark at the end of a wonderful week," Sternberg said. "It only seems proper to have the Bishop come and celebrate our Catholic identity during such a special week in our school calendar."