The students from grades 9-11 spent the week serving as retreat leaders. Each school morning, the group joined together in prayer in Our Lady’s Chapel and then worked with small groups of middle school students on special projects including building an outdoor classroom and learning area around the Academy’s geodome.
The students, who needed faculty and parent approval before being accepted as a retreat leader, project managed and implemented the following as part of their experience:
- Built 8 benches (3 for Rachel’s Trail, NDA’s on campus running/walking trail)
- Built 3 picnic tables
- Installed 5 garden boxes
- Transplanted 200 seedlings
- Cleared walking and running rails
- Beautified NDA’s campus
At the end of each day, the group gathered for reflection and prayer.
The school-wide Mission Week is dedicated to Laudato Si, Pope Francis' encyclical to care for the earth. Students in grades Pre-K through 5 helped by growing seedlings while learning about the life cycle of plants, soil chemistry and composting.
Students in grades Pre-K to 5 also worked on mission based projects in class. Activities included designing and sending appreciation cards to service workers, practicing acts of kindness, and learning about the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur and their positive, world-wide impact.
Check out the amazing effort our students put forth in this week long on campus service project!