An eighteen year-old student, world traveler and ambassador visited St. Charles College this week to share stories about her work and travels in Africa.
Laura Limarzi is a graduate of Assumption High School in Windsor, Ontario. During her years there, she was the student council president and got involved with many social justice issues and initiatives including HOBEY International and Craig Kielberger’s Me to We program. During her last year in high school she got the chance to travel to Africa with Me to We to learn about life in Kenya, and helped with the foundations projects, focusing on clean water and education.
Upon graduation, Limarzi was awarded the Morehead-Cain Scholarship, which is a full scholarship to attend University of North Carolina Chapel Hill. Currently she is taking a ‘gap’ year, which has led her to work with the oraganization Determined to Develop. Through this organization, she travelled to Malawi where she lived for four months working with children. Upon her return, she was invited to Mozambique to work with The United States Military AIDS Research Program.
Limarzi was in town to visit family, and was invited by her aunt, a teacher, to SCC to share her experiences with our students. The goal of Limarzi’s visit was to inspire others to get involved in their school, their country and the world in which they live, always remembering that no matter where we live, our daily struggles are similar. We are united through the human experience.
Throughout the day spent at SCC, Limarzi made two presentations. One to Leadership students and the students who had just returned from Guatemala, and one to the Life Skills students. Her message in each presentation was simple. Get involved! Together we can make this world a better place, whether through local or global causes. Laura also visited Holy Cross Elementary School, and The Soup Kitchen while in Sudbury.
Category: Schools
St. David School Hosts Healthy Food Summit
The students and staff at St. David Catholic Elementary School hosted a full day Healthy Foods Summit at the beginning of April. The day consisted of guest speakers from the community facilitating “hands-on healthy foods” workshops. All classes, JK – grade 8, had the opportunity to visit three healthy foods workshops during the day. The topics ranged from: healthy choices using culturally based foods, healthy choices with after school snacks, how to pack a healthy lunch, Eat Local, and healthy desert choices. The school also partnered with the Sudbury Health Unit and offered workshops in proper handwashing techniques and student led leadership workshops.
The St. David School student leadership team co-planned the sessions with the mentorship of Janet Spergel, Community Health Care Nurse for the Sudbury Health Unit. Students were engaged in all sessions. Staff, students and families from St. David Catholic Elementary School all walked away with a better understanding of the importance of healthy food choices, their availability in the community and how to prepare them as meals and snacks.
Pius Celebrates Secretary Day
Pius students and staff never take for granted the hard work, dedication and commitment that Mrs. Barbe, the school secretary puts in every day. Mrs. Barbe had a surprise when she entered the gym filled with staff and students who wished her a Happy Secretary Day and presented her with gifts, hand made letter of thanks and flowers. “I like Mrs. Barbe, everyday she is happy and nice to everyone in the school” says Grade 1 student Shaylisah Dixon. Pius staff and students are proud that she is part of the Penguin team!
St. David School Celebrates Earth Day!
On April 22, 2013 the students in Mrs. Cimino’s grade 1 class participated in hands on educational Earth Day activities. During the activity centres, the students made Earth Day necklaces as a reminder to keep our earth clean and healthy. They read the book “The Lorax” and discussed what can happen if we do not take responsibility for the care of our planet.
St. David Catholic Elementary School students participate in a school wide recycling program, composting program and vermi composting program.
Next Friday, the grade one students and their fellow St. David classmates will be participating in the community clean up along Jean Street, Frood Road and Dupont Street. “The students had a wonderful day learning about the importance of maintaining a healthy environment while having fun and participating in activities that engaged their minds and kept them physically active. As a class, we have really focused on healthy living and environmentally friendly actions. The students continue to be committed to caring for their environment and making choices that improve and support the positive development of their community”, states Maria Cimino, grade 1 teacher at St. David School.
Good Stewards of the Earth
Grade 3 & 4 students in teacher Graziella Visentin’s class at St.Francis Catholic Elementary School learned about their carbon footprint as part of their Earth Day activities on April 22, 2013. Understanding the effects of our carbon footprint helped the students deepen their sensitivity and connection to a special virtue celebrated this month-Stewardship. Students read a variety of information books and researched ways to be good stewards of the earth by reducing, reusing and recycling resources. The students designed buttons to wear and promote their friendly Earth Day message to others. The class also created a book with student tips on how to reduce our carbon footprint on the earth. Ideas included walking to a nearby destination, riding their bicycles more often, donating used clothing and composting. Grade 3 & 4 students delivered flower seeds to some of the primary classes to beautify the outdoors at home or their school yard. St.Francis students from kindergarten to grade 6 received red pine seedlings courtesy of Xstrata Nickel and College Boreal to take home and plant outside for Earth Day.
RCMP Visits St. Francis FDK Class
Mme Lachance’s and Mme Lynne’s FDK French Immersion class had the pleasure of having a special guest visit their classroom. Sergeant Andre Lecoz shared his duties as an RCMP officer with the students. He explained all the features of his uniform and allowed the children to try on a smaller version of the coat and hat. Although many children thought he was a cowboy at first, at the end of the presentation they seemed to have a better understanding of what an RCMP actually does to help protect our society.
Hopping into Full Day Kindergarten at St. Anne Catholic School
When the Full Day Kindergarten students from St. Anne Catholic Elementary School returned after the Christmas Break, their teacher Lois Lambert asked, “What type of center should we have in our class?” The FDK students replied, “A Vet Centre”. While the students were engaged in discussion at the Veterinarian Centre, they were talking about adult animals and baby animals. A question was raised from the students, “If an animal has a baby, does it look like its mommy or daddy?” The class looked at the life cycles of various animals. However, they were most interested in the life cycle of a rabbit. The FDK students took this inquiry to life by bringing in a pregnant rabbit. Everyone waited patiently for the pregnancy, which lasted 31 days. Then on February 11, 2013 the bunnies arrived! The students welcomed 4 baby bunnies (a litter of bunnies is called a kit) and now help take care of them. “I love to read stories to the bunnies,” said Kenadie Dixon, a year 2 FDK student. This experience has been an on-going learning adventure. All of the babies that have grown in the classroom will be joining their new families just in time for Easter.
Hockey Blast at Pius XII
Pius XII Catholic Elementary School grade 4-8 students had a ‘blast’ recently when they partnered up with the Knights of Columbus Council #10888 to participate in a Hockey Blast Competition. Students from grades 4-8 were able to show off their stickwork and accuracy in the competition. Learning Strategies Teacher, Kathleen Donnelly says, “The Knights of Columbus Council #10888 have been actively involved in the school by volunteering their time for events such as the Freethrow Competition, Hockey Blast, Grill Cheese Day and Shrove Tuesday (Pancake Day) — it is awesome to have them volunteering in our school!”
Holy Cross Free the Children Club “We Are Silent” Campaign
Members of the Holy Cross Catholic Elementary School Free the Children Club joined thousands of students around the world in the ‘We Are Silent” Campaign on April 18th. Students took a “vow of silence” in order to experience what it is like for poverty stricken children to not have the right to speak out about their basic needs, including an education. The “Day of Silence” brought awareness to Free the Children Club members and the Holy Cross School Community.