WATERVILLE — For Principal Victoria Duguay, there are few moments more filled with pride than when she observes the students at Mount Merici Academy as they learn that it is a privilege, not a chore, to help others and give back to a community that has given them so much. The Serviam Shield, the logo worn by students on their uniforms, means “I will serve,” and service will once again be a featured component at the Waterville school during Maine Catholic Schools Week (Jan. 25-31), according to a news release fro the Diocese of Portland.
On Monday, Jan. 26, Mount Merici Academy kicked off its “Together, We Can” homeless shelter drive. Each grade at the school has been assigned a specific item to gather during the week with all of the proceeds benefitting the Mid-Maine Homeless Shelter located on 19 Colby Circle in Waterville. Items such as soap, toothpaste, toothbrushes, shaving cream, and deodorant will be used to fill personal care kits for each of the shelter’s residents. Last year, the academy held a sock drive for the shelter and collected over 1,000 pairs of new socks, according to a news release.
“Our students really started to understand the hardship that families who are homeless face when they don’t even have socks to wear in the winter,” said Duguay. “From our previous service work with the homeless shelter and our current project to collect basic toiletry items, our students are learning and caring about members in our own communities who are struggling.”
The service project is part of the annual Maine Catholic Schools Week which celebrates the mission of Catholic Schools: to evangelize students by nourishing faith and encouraging academic excellence while accentuating the importance of community and service in a nurturing environment.
As part of the weeklong celebration, Mount Merici Academy will host a variety of special events, including fun activities and competitions, theme days, a student/faculty basketball game, and a memorial Mass in the school’s gym. For a complete schedule of Maine Catholic Schools Week activities at Mount Merici Academy, visit portlanddiocese.org/content/catholic-schools-week-mount-merici-academy.
For more information, contact Dave Guthro, communications director for the Diocese of Portland, at 321-7810 or at dave.guthro@portlanddiocese.org.
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