MIAMI COUNTY — Local Catholic Schools took part in Catholic Schools Week this week with both fun activities and community service, celebrating how they use Catholic education to help students grow not only academically, but spiritually as well.
St. Patrick Catholic School, located at 420 E. Water St., Troy, helped students have fun while also giving to others, such as collecting canned and boxed goods for St. Vincent de Paul, which aids adults and families in the Miami Valley who are near to becoming homeless or are already homeless. Students also collected change for Pennies for Patients, which raises funds in support of the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.
Principal Cyndi Cathcart of St. Patrick Catholic School said students also got a change of pace from the regular dress code, wearing patriotic colors one day and school pride colors another day.
“We wore red, white, and blue on Wednesday to honor all of our Armed Forces,” Cathcart said. “We did fun things like crazy hat and hair day.”
St. Patrick Catholic School finished off Catholic Schools Week with their highlight event on Friday, a volleyball match between staff and junior high students.
“They love Catholic Schools Week,” Cathcart said about the students.
Cathcart said St. Patrick Catholic School is well-established in the local community, having been in Troy since 1888. Cathcart said their school, which offers preschool education through eighth grade classes, is centered on the Catholic faith.
“Our goal as a Catholic school is to educate the whole child,” Cathcart said, explaining their school helps children grow spiritually, academically, socially, and emotionally.
Over in Piqua, Piqua Catholic School finished off its Catholic Schools Week celebrations with a talent show held on Friday, showcasing the school’s students talented in music, singing, and dancing with 10 acts and 20 students involved in the show.
“It’s been awesome,” Principal Brad Zimmerman of Piqua Catholic School said about Catholic Schools Week. In addition to the talent show, the school has also held a Pancake Day with the Guinness World Record holder in flipping pancakes, a week-long Book Fair, and a fundraiser for the school’s music department that ended with Zimmerman being taped to the wall for fun.
When asked about the importance of having a Catholic school available in the community, Zimmerman said, “It’s essential to have faith-based education for families in every community.” He went on to say that he hears from students all the time about how “they feel so blessed to be able to talk about Christ every day in every subject.”
Zimmerman said the students loved this week “because this week is dedicated to celebrating Catholic schools and celebrating the Catholic faith,” which has also allowed students to have fun with their friends, teachers, and families.
“I believe that our school culture is better than it’s ever been before,” Zimmerman said, explaining the school has been getting to the root of why Catholic schools exist, which is their faith in Christ.
“Christ is the reason … and it’s easy to forget that,” Zimmerman said. “If Christ isn’t first, then we’re not doing the right thing.” Zimmerman added Piqua Catholic School takes pride in its academics, which they feel is strong because of their Catholic faith.
Zimmerman also recognized Piqua Catholic’s PTO, the Cavaliers in Action, for organizing this week’s events and sponsoring them.
“It’s really an amazing thing they do,” Zimmerman said.
Piqua Catholic has two locations with its kindergarten through eighth grade classes being held at at 503 W. North St., Piqua, and its preschool located at 218 S. Downing St., Piqua.
