Catholic Schools Week 2021: Faith. Excellence. Service.
LaDonna Manternach, BVM presents a first-place poster award to sixth grader Olivia Villaluna from St. Vincent de Paul School in Petaluma, Calif. BVMs sponsored a Catholic Schools Week poster and essay contest. Family, teachers, and staff came on to support Olivia during a virtual award presentation.
Faith. Excellence. Service. is the theme of Catholic Schools Week 2021. The Sisters of Charity of the Blessed Virgin Mary joined schools across the country in celebrating Catholic education, a legacy of the ministry of the congregation since the beginning.
Students in high schools were encouraged to submit essays relating to the theme. Grade school students were asked to create posters expressing what the theme means to them.
Classroom discussions set the tone of how students might think about their education in their Catholic school and how it impacts their lives in terms of faith, excellence, and service.
Students were then asked to submit their essays and posters as part of a contest for Catholic Schools Week. Winners were announced on Feb. 5 and gift cards were given as prizes.
Essay Contest Winners
First Place:
Isabel Tapia, Senior
Read: Excellence, Faith, and Service
Our Lady of Tepeyac Catholic High School, Chicago
Second Place:
Ruby Zamudio, Senior
Read: Journey to Christ
Our Lady of Tepeyac Catholic High School, Chicago
Third Place:
Julissa Lopez, Senior
Read: Excellence, Faith, and Service
Our Lady of Tepeyac Catholic High School, Chicago
Poster Contest Winners
Grades K-2
Oliver Portzen, Grade 2
St. Columbkille, Dubuque, Iowa
Grades 3-5
Charlee Parr, Grade 4
St. Columbkille, Dubuque, Iowa
Grades 6-8
Olivia Villaluna, Grade 6
St. Vincent de Paul, Petaluma, Calif.
As we celebrate Catholic Schools Week, BVMs Bernadette (Lucinus) McManigal, Lou Anglin, Jean Dolores Schmidt, and BVM Associate Betty Takes tell us what it means to Learn, Serve, Lead, and Succeed.