SHA-Cordecho-Winter-21-22

S P I R I T . M I N D . B O D Y . C O R D E C H O 5 Experiences Day of SHAring 2021 Takes a Deep-Dive into the Refugee Experience If we cannot go out into the community to serve, we will bring the community to SHA. This was campus minister Bridget McGuinness’s vision for SHA’s 16th Annual Day of SHAring. While faced with continued limitations to serving en masse, school leaders reimagined the day to embrace what we could do as a SHA community. Embracing a “Learn and Serve” Day of SHAring around the theme of refugee and immigration issues, students used their newly acquired knowledge to actively improve the lives of others in WNY and around the world. Students rotated through four activities to support their learning and allow them to give back. STOP ONE: AUDITORIUM With a presentation from SHA’s Board Chair, Eileen Scannell, about the work of Providence Farm Collective (PFC), students learned about this farm in Orchard Park that provides a space for immigrants in the WNY area to grow vegetables from their native countries and help with the nutritional needs of their families and other WNY refugees and immigrants. Students made Kuzuri Bead bracelets, which were donated to the PFC to be sold at the farm stand in the summer. STOP TWO: HOMEROOMS Students watched Brave Girl Rising, a film dedicated to local immigrant issues and participated in a Zoom Q&A hosted by Andy Cammarata of Journey’s End. Students also wrote letters of welcome to WNY’s refugees and painted pictures to decorate the homes of these newest members of our community. STOP THREE: THE ORIGINAL GYM Students participated in an active refugee simulation of a family being forced from their home in the middle of the night, carrying only what they could grab. Then, they were guided through the choices the family had to make as they sought asylum and refuge in other countries. This activity was facilitated by Catholic Relief Services (CRS). STOP FOUR: THE ATHLETIC CENTER Finally, in an effort to ease the burden on recent refugees and others living in abject poverty, SHA packed 15,132 meals with CRS and Rise Against Hunger in a single afternoon! The meals went to feed hungry families in the West African nation of Burkina Faso. Rise Against Hunger’s goal is to eliminate hunger across the globe by 2030. To complement the effort of the girls, SHA families also supported the day with donations of household cleaning items, personal care items, garden supplies and food items that were given to Journey’s End as they set up homes for newly landed refugees and to Providence Farm Collective for preparing the farm for the growing season. With so much suffering happening throughout the world, our students shared that it felt great to be able to do tangible good for others. Take the Lead on Bringing Smiles to SHA! Student Council teamed up with the Art Department to host an art happening at SHA. Working in real time, art teacher Lisa Bonn walked the full student body through the creation of their own personalized shark masterpieces. Halloween is always special at SHA. This year, StuCo added even more sweetness as characters from Roald Dahl’s Charlie and the Chocolate Factory! In partnership with the University at Buffalo’s Confucius Institute, guests shared the stress-relieving practice of Kung Fu with SHA’s students.