 |
 |
||||
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
 |
|
|
 |
|
|
 |
|
|
 |
|
|
 |
|
|
 |
|
|
 |
|
|
 |
|
|
 |
|
|
 |
|
|
 |
|
|
 |
|
|
 |
|
|
 |
|
|
 |
|
|
 |
|
|
|
||
STUDENT REFLECTIONSHere are reflections from our graduating seniors which highlight their experiences with Christian Service while students at Central Catholic...
What Our 2008 Graduates Say“My involvement in community service projects is involvement with my brothers and sisters; my opportunity to serve others and to give of myself is my opportunity to serve Christ.” Audrey Germer ’08
“Throughout my four years at Central Catholic High School, I have found myself thinking of service not as ‘service,’ but more of a way of life. The requirements for service at Central Catholic helped to make me the person I am today, and who I hope to continue to be in the future.” Hew Commeree ’08
“I personally believe that service is something that ties all of humanity together. Whatever one’s religious beliefs, whatever one’s name for God the value of service should be present. Service transcends personal beliefs. Service is, as defined in the dictionary, giving good. Every human being has the ability to give good." Michaela Gianotti ’08 “Working at the Providence Child Center was a calling from God. During this period I grew in my faith. I was able to question situations but also discover answers. ….. We are all interdependent, we all need one another no matter our circumstances. In fact, I soon learned I needed the children more than they needed me. The Child Center allowed me to understand that we all must use our gifts and talent for the common good of all society. In Corinthians 13, St. Paul tells us that the greatest gift of all is love. By loving, we can better serve ourselves and others. My experiences with the children at Providence deepened my faith by loving, and I found the calling from God that I had always waited for.” Arianna Nassib ’08
“The mandatory service program at Central Catholic is an amazing institution that allows students the opportunity to truly help people. It forces them to step outside of their comfort zone and experience the world in a way that makes a difference in the community. In the end, that is what service is about: making a difference.” Tom Malone ’08
Service is about more than helping the poor and sick; service speaks of equality among all of humanity. It provides a way for those who are more fortunate to help those who came into this world with less. Throughout my years, regardless of the work I have done, I feel that all of my service has been focused on allowing all people an equal opportunity to experience life to the fullest.” Adam Domiano ’08
“Towards the end of my high school career I have considered service, overall, my most life changing experience. Not only did I uncover my true passion for the humanities, but it allowed me to be more comfortable with my talents and more able to share them with others.” Emili Barbour ’08
“In general, I am extremely thankful for the Christian Service Program at Central Catholic, and I am please that it has been a part of my high school years. The combined aspects of community service have made me a better person. I have learned the most about the equality of human life, and have had realizations about what is necessary to lead a virtuous existence.” Carly Eichhorn ’08
“Gandhi once said, ‘Be the change you wish to see in the world.’ Over the past four year I have come to understand the meaning of these words through community service at Central Catholic High School I am extremely grateful for the program, as I am unsure if I would make the decision to complete service to the community on my own. The powerful words of Ghandi have provided me with a very important life lesson, if I want to see improvement in the world and injustices resolved, I must make the effort myself.” Lizzie Mardesich ’08 “One of the most useful lessons I have learned from both religion class and my service projects is the broad range and depth of the benefit one can create through doing service in one’s own community.” Tim Foglesong ’08 “I come away from my four years at Central Catholic knowing that service is our duty. Whether or not altruism is possible, spreading joy through the littlest of means is a true force. I have with me now a medley of moments where I saw that the work accomplished by Central does make a difference. Maturity and time, hopefully, will take what my fellow classmates and I have learned during our last four years, and turn it into a lifelong mission to serve and constantly better ourselves, our friends, strangers in need, and the earth we live on.” Melissa Dollar ’08
“Understanding what an individual’s service does for the society is one thing, but witnessing first hand the happiness it creates in people is another. Witnessing smiles on people’s faces after they have been served a plate of food has an affect on people unlike any other action. I truly felt rewarded and felt a sense that the community is getting stronger as I grow as a person.” Joe Christianson ’08
“I know that service is good and I am very thankful that I have been introduced to such a fulfilling aspect of life. Service is certainly something that I will be able to carry with me as I continue to build relationships with others and with God, and for that I am grateful.” Isaac Hainley ’08 “I like to have the bragging rights of a school that has such a solid Community Service Program. Whenever talking to students from other schools, I realize that they do not have the opportunity to do service, and realistically, most people would not do service on their own time. I think that is important to have the minimum amount requirement that we have at Central Catholic because it is an experience that everyone can share, and there is no limit to how much service someone can do.” Kelsey Schneider ’08
“Overall, I feel very fortunate to have incorporated service into my life. It is something that has become a valuable part of my education. As a result of my participating in Central Catholic’s Service Program I have decided to continue being involved in volunteer programs for the rest of my life.” Justin Schmidt ’08 “From grade school basketball to feeding the homeless, I feel that my service hours carried great weight into the person I have become. These years of service changed me from the immature teenager that began at Central Catholic his freshman year into the helpful and knowledgeable young man that he is still working on becoming. The changes have all been positive in many ways by revealing opportunities to help people and displaying issues that affects the world and showing me the differences that I am able to make in our world. This base that service has helped me build will be a step of sculpting who I become in the future.” Daniel Ostrom ’08 “Service gave me the opportunity to not only give my heart and hands to others, but also to receive love and joy in return. Community service is something that cannot be replaced or adequately described. It is an accomplishment of reaching out and helping others that makes the real difference. By helping others you are also helping yourself. Service allows you to find pride in who you are and discover a part of the community that is both rewarding and amazing. It helps you expand your relationships in your family and within the community. Overall, community service has a way of impacting your life and shaping you into the person you are today and the person you aspire to become in the future.” Cindy Modjeski ’08 “Through the years, service has made me more mature, grateful, and humble. It has made me wiser and more capable of understanding the immensity of human suffering. The definition of service is no longer just words to me; it has meaning and memories, smiles and tears. I am truly grateful for the service that I have been able to perform.” Michelle Litchman ’08 “Service at Central Catholic has given me the chance to see people from all walks of life in a different perspective. Not only am I leaving Central Catholic with an education which will help me reach my future goals, but I am also leaving knowing that I truly made a difference in the lives of others and my community.” Brittany Boileau ’08 “The years of service I have performed allowed me to reflect upon my own life and appreciate the value of service not only to others, but to myself. Last year, when I attended the Baccalaureate Mass at my brother’s graduation, I watched the projector of all of the quotes seniors had in their service papers. I thought about what kinds of service I would be doing and how it could have this effect on me. The quotes I read were all truly genuine because the people reflected on the real meaning of their service. Although we all may ‘need’ something, as cliché as this sounds, there are other people that need a lot more than we do. People always look for something to fulfill their lives, to fill an empty void. I believe one way we can help fill the void in our lives is to make other people’s lives a little better.” Emerson Helbling ’08 “Human beings need to love and be loved in return. Sometimes some people need more help than other, but really all of us need help of some sort during different parts of our lives. Service is a way we can show our love for one another, and love each other back with gratitude. This service relationship keeps us connected not only to each other, but also with our best selves and God. Our relationships with other human beings grow stronger with our love shown through giving service and genuinely being there for each other. Even the smallest acts of kindness can change someone’s life.” Nick Green ’08
“Christian service has never been a negative activity that I feel forced to do. I see it as an opportunity to help others, practice humility, nurture my relationship with God, and develop new relationships with those I am service. Central Catholic High School taught me to be a person of service who is willing and able to make a positive difference in the world.” Theresa Taylor ’08 “Service is, therefore, an important characteristic of Catholicism because it is the exact message that Jesus preaches to us. He said, ‘Sell all your possessions and come follow me.’ He did not say, ‘Stay at home and think about me. It was this call to action that is central in our beliefs as Catholics. There is a saying that states, ‘What man is a man who does not make the world a better place?’ This saying is a reflection of Jesus’ message to us. He calls us to act and walk with him, not just to reflect on him.” Brian Louie ’08
“With each ailment and hardship each person faces strength, growth and repair, flourishes as a result. When obstacles present themselves as a barrier between ourselves and the goals we are tying to achieve, we tend to give up faith and lose all hope. Through my Christian service at Central Catholic High School these past four years, perseverance, determination and optimism are only a few of the many temperaments I have attained from my experiences.” Gabriela Pinder ’08
“My service in high school was one of the best experiences I have been through. Although at first I was the least bit excited about it, I learned to love what I was doing, but most of all I understood what I was doing. In my opinion I have been shaped into a better person and my life has become more complete. I have filled all the spaces in my life that were empty. Community service and giving back to my community was the best medicine for filling some of those spaces.” Yianna Nadeau ’08 “Through my experiences within the Service Program and the challenging classes I have taken at Central, I feel prepared for what is next in my life. I want to continue to volunteering throughout college. I am grateful for the morals and values Central Catholic has instilled in me, be through my involvement in service or my interaction with the amazing community. Service has taught me there are issues in the world that we can face by helping those around us. We can truly make a difference if we make an effort to bring change.” Julie Lesseg '08
“Service has indubitably altered my life perspective. If it were not mandatory, I do believe I would still elect to volunteer. Although the quest for social justice may seem tedious to some, in reality service is a great benefit to volunteers because it teaches them not only to give help, but also how to accept it.” Matt Rego ’08
“Community service provides a spiritual journey that allows us to grow as people committed to sharing our gifts in any small way that we can; both a duty and responsibility that should last well beyond our high school years.” Monica Rischiotto ’08
“I cannot thank Central Catholic enough for helping me out through this journey in my life. Service has been an uplifting experience for me and I know that I will continue my service all the way through college and beyond. I would like to leave you with a quote that signifies my overall service experience at Central Catholic, ‘A true test of one man’s character is what he does when no one is watching.’” Bryant Rombaoa ’08 |
 |