This year, Catholic Schools Week took place Sunday, January 30th through Saturday, February 5th, 2022. The themes of the week were faith, excellence, and service, and here at De La Salle, the week was filled with just that.
National Catholic Schools Week is an opportunity to express one’s appreciation to the teachers, students, support staff, and the administration who all make the school function efficiently. Catholic Schools Week, which is only celebrated in the United States, began in 1974. It all started with teachers and administration who work at Catholic schools, wanting a way to demonstrate their faith and message while also honoring their school. This led to the National Catholic Educational Association, which is made up of 150,000 educators from Catholic schools, universities, and religious education programs around the U.S.
Academic excellence is the root of Catholic education and leadership directed to the growth of the whole person’s mind, body and spirit. Emily Vogel, the Director of Campus Ministry, wants all students at De La Salle to demonstrate their faith and belief in their daily life. Vogel has been the Director of Campus Ministry and a senior Theology teacher at De La Salle for 15 years. “Catholic Schools Week is an opportunity to show our community how we lead as one,” said Vogel. Being a Catholic school, De La Salle wants all of their students to lead with faith in their daily lives. “Having faith and showing it off in all you do is a great way to live life,” stated Vogel, “just being here and being able to talk about your beliefs in the classroom, as a group, helps grow relationships and make everyone feel like family.”
In the past, De La Salle has held an all-school Mass in honor of the week. Due to inadequate weather conditions, which resulted in a snow day, this year’s Mass was canceled. Among the many activities that were held in the years past, this year, the spirit was in the halls and classrooms. There were flyers hung in the Media Center and hallways thanking teachers and students for all they have done this school year. “We Are De” read the flyers. Though the school week was cut short, Friday morning, the Peer Ministers held a prayer service in honor of the school holiday. They discussed the history and what we can do to be better students of faith.
To see students act in good faith towards the community, church, nation and others is what De La Salle prides in it. As the week came to an end, more students were able to leave with the theme of becoming a better Meteor through faith, excellence, and service.
