Staff Report

The students of Immaculate Heart of Mary School have a new classroom – outdoors. Students sit on wooden benches at long tables while their teacher works from a deck with a sheltered whiteboard. All of this started when former IHM student Dale Lakes developed an idea for his Eagle Scout Leadership Service Project.

As Dan Beard Council’s Assistant Council Commissioner Tom Armstrong wrote, “His project was the most ambitious one that I have personally seen in 14 years of Scouting. He has demonstrated perseverance, responsibility, and dedication well beyond his peers as he has worked this project.” By any standard this was a large project.

Lakes’ classroom project is now being considered for the Dan Beard Council Eagle Award Service Project of the Year   a regional award.

Pi Day at St. Ignatius
March 14 was practically a holiday for the mathematically minded or others interested in understanding Pi (π), the number that is approximately equal to 3.14. At St. Ignatius Loyola School, students participated in a Pi Day contest that determined who could memorize the most digits in Pi.

One of Saint I’s eighth graders, Jared Raymond, is 13th in the United Sates and 46th in the world for Pi memorization.

Students raise funds
Sixth, seventh and eighth graders at Ascension School raised more than $2,000 in four days for the Lenten Rice Bowl Campaign through Catholic Relief Services. The students participated in a Penny Power competition. Each homeroom had a container for money collection.

Students could put money in any of the jars, but no money could be removed. Only pennies were counted in the total. Any “silver” or paper currency in the container was deducted from the penny total.

McAuley clothing drive
McAuley High School will host a clothing drive during the week of April 8.  Students, parents, alumnae, and other members of the McAuley community are encouraged to do some spring cleaning over the Easter holiday and drop off items any time during school hours from April 9-12, and on Saturday, April 13, from 11 a.m.-2 p.m.

For more information, please contact Brigitte Foley at [email protected].

Pacelli students serve
Cardinal Pacelli students tackled a project to serve more 700 dinners at the Drop Inn Center in Over-the-Rhine.

A vote was taken, and the students excitedly began the “Penny War.” A good spirited competition ensued for one week raising nearly $700 for the Drop Inn Center.

RB students raise $360
The Roger Bacon Student Philanthropy Program sponsored a dress down day and taped Paul Zlatic, assistant principal, to a pole in the cafeteria to raise more than $360.  The students are enrolled in Writing for Change, a class that teaches written and oral communication skills through partnerships with the nonprofit world. The students are currently researching local nonprofit organizations to determine which one will receive a $1,500 grant, funded by Magnified Giving.

Art awards for Badin
Badin High School junior Ellen Andrews was one of three Badin students to win prizes at the Middletown Fine Arts Center’s exhibition, “Tomorrow’s Artists Today”, at the opening night reception on Friday, Feb. 8.

Andrews earned a second place award in the painting category. Also earning awards were junior Taylor Weltzer and freshman Evan Kurtz.

Schools team up for reading
Ursuline Academy freshmen helped students in kindergarten through the second grade learn how to improve their reading skills at St. Boniface School on Feb. 19.

A collaborative project between St. Boniface School in Cincinnati and Ursuline Academy in Blue Ash, the Book Fair was funded by a private donor and UA’s Community Service Department.  It allowed UA to purchase 75 books under 25 titles that were chosen by St. Boniface; the books were then donated to St. Boniface’s library.