Stewardship of Time and Talent Thrives at St. Joseph School

As disciples of Christ, the Scriptures make it abundantly clear that we are all called to follow the example of Jesus in serving others — “As each one has received a gift, use it to serve one another as good stewards of God’s varied grace” (1 Peter 4:10). Here in our parish school, our faculty and staff are dedicated to providing our students with the opportunity to answer this Gospel call from an early age by participating in various service projects. The St. Joseph School tradition of service began over 15 years ago when a Quest teacher, Mrs. Kathy Loos, first integrated a service curriculum into the school year. Today, service remains an essential aspect of the mission of St. Joseph School.

“Service to others is following the direct example of Jesus Christ — particularly service to all,” says Amy Makruski, St. Joseph School Principal. “Participation in service helps keep our Christian mission at the center of their lives. We were sent here to love and care for others, and service projects help teach children to give of themselves without expecting something in return and to help others using their own time and natural talents.”

Over the years, students in our parish school have served our local community in countless ways, including food drives for Second Harvest Food Bank, meeting with Elmcroft residents for games and crafts, making blankets for the Shriners and stuffed animals for Blessing House, raising money to build two homes with Operation Rescue — to name just a few!

As all students — from kindergarten through eighth grade — participate in these outreach projects, they learn to be the hands and feet of Christ in our community. While their service is certainly a blessing to those on the receiving end, the children, too, are blessed in return.

“I love to see the students come to the realization that you really can do small things with great love,” says Mrs. Makruski. “Often, we see students step outside of their comfort zones to meet the needs of others, as well, which is nice.”

Due to the health guidelines and restrictions brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic, the school is currently focusing on more creative ways to spread joy in the community and reach out to those in need through prayer, handwritten cards, video messages, and more.

No matter what form our student service projects take, the rewards are often lifelong — and they are always abundant!

“I think the recipients of our service projects feel blessed and grateful,” Mrs. Makruski says. “Many times we receive ‘thank you’ cards and letters with such heartfelt words of thanks. When we share these with the students, their faces light up, and that is a feeling we want them to carry with them as they move through life.”