Pilot Parents and Students: InService Together

Written by Katie Wilson, Service Learning & Retreats Director

Students at the Academy of Our Lady of Peace have served our n eighbors with compassion in a remarkably wide variety of ways for countless decades, both locally and internationally . From migrant and refugee families and youth, to people experiencing homelessness and hunger, OLP students have followed their hearts to share God’s unifying love with our dear neighbors. Truly, the deep and rich legacy of service is part of the fabric that constitutes OLP.

The Pilot Parents program provides OLP parents and guardians with opportunities to meet, connect, and support the OLP community based on shared interests. The recently established Pilot Parents “Faith and Service Crew” continues the OLP legacy of service this year by inviting OLP parents, guardians and students to volunteer in service together.

In December of 2022, a group of OLP parents and students, from multiple grade levels, served meals to guests at Fr. Joe’s Villages in downtown San Diego. Serving together with other pairs of parents and students enriched the sense of community and family within OLP, even though the parent and student pairs did not know each other very well before meeting at Fr. Joe’s. Current Parent Siobhán Downing shared that her daughter Elisabeth (Class of 2025) and she were amazed at how much the OLP volunteers were able to assist the Fr. Joe’s staff and accomplish in just two hours. Meeting the guests at Fr. Joe’s and recognizing Christ’s presence within them touched and moved the OLP parents and students. For the Downings, serving at Fr. Joe’s was “such a great way to help light the world with the love of Christ!”

A growing number of OLP parents and guardians have expressed a desire to serve alongside their children through the Pilot Parents program, with more opportunities to serve being offered in the Spring semester. Parents and students serving together beautifully embodies what it means to be a member of the OLP Pilot family.