School tradition begins Sunday By Bethany J.

Royer Originally published in the Piqua Daily Call January 23, 201

PIQUA From Jan. 26 to Feb. 1, Catholic schools and students will be celebratin Catholic !chools "ee# with this $ear%s theme to be &Catholic !chools' Communities o( Faith, )nowled e and !er*ice.+ ,his will hi hli ht e*er$thin about the Catholic schools, as stated b$ !tac$ !cott, a *olunteer with children attendin Pi-ua Catholic and .ehman /i h !chool in !idne$. !cott was on hand to i*e a snea# 0ee# into this annual and national tradition this $ear celebratin the 12th anni*ersar$ that consists o( conce0ts that ma#e (or the heart o( Catholic education, its contribution to $oun 0eo0le and their communities, with (aith, #nowled e and ser*ice three measures b$ which students are tau ht to li*e. &"e in the last se*eral $ears ha*e reall$ tried to ma#e it a bi er deal,+ e30lained !cott o( the wee#4lon celebration and how it o((ers an o00ortunit$ to than# (amilies (or choosin Catholic school, an in*estment 0arents ma#e u0 (ront that, &reall$ 0a$s o(( in the (uture.+ Accordin to !cott, there is no set 0lan on the wee#%s e*ents on a national le*el so schools create their own acti*ities. For Pi-ua, there will be an o((icial #ic#4o(( on !unda$, (ollowed b$ 5onda$%s to0ic o( the da$ as spirit, with students encoura ed to attend school dressed in their Pi-ua Catholic s0irit wear. A s0ecial 0anca#e brea#(ast in the mornin will (eature the talents o( Chris Ca#es with 0reschool students and their 0arents 6oinin in the (esti*ities. !tudents will also ha*e an o00ortunit$ to en6o$ the 7rain !how an &as close as $ou can et to a real li(e ,8 ame show+ e*ent. 9n ,uesda$ the (ocus to0ic (or the da$ will be academics with :onuts (or :ads in the mornin as dads and randdads are in*ited to an o0en house. !tudents will et to en6o$ a cra;$ hat da$, too, be(ore rall$in behind the bo$s bas#etball teams a ainst ,ro$ Christian. "hile "ednesda$%s to0ic will be charity that will include a hot cocoa social in the e*enin amon a number o( e*ents throu hout the da$ such as the school collectin (or the 7ottles (or 7abies cam0ai n. 9n ,hursda$ students will (ocus on community, with 5u((ins (or 5om durin an o0en house (or moms and randmothers be(ore the e*enin Junior /i h bo$s bas#etball team ta#es on /ol$ <osar$. Four Catholic schools will be under one roo( (or the ame with s0ecial acti*ities durin hal( time, (ace 0aintin , and snac#s. Frida$ will (ocus on faith with the annual =th rade *ersus teachers *olle$ball match, com($ clothes da$ a(ter mass (ollowed b$ Christian 6u ler, :a*id Cain the Ju ler (or Jesus. An ice cream social will round out Frida$%s acti*ities. ,he Pi-ua Catholic P,9 s0onsors the wee#4lon e*ent, with contributions (rom (undraisers such as !cri0t and 5ar#et :a$. &Pi-ua Catholic it reall$ is more than a school,+ !cott said, with a (ocus on *alues, and trainin res0onsible adults who will, &>o out and be acti*e in their communit$, ha*e a i*in heart and be willin to ser*e.+

Bethany J. Royer may be reached at 773-2721 or on Twitter @TheDai y!a