Academy of Our Lady students continued celebrating the Feast of St. John Bosco and Catholic Schools week by giving back to the community January 30 through February 2. Each day students from each grade level ventured out to different organizations throughout the greater New Orleans metro area to volunteer their time. Service sites included City Park, The Arc of Greater New Orleans, Second Harvest Food Bank, Crossroads Louisiana, Café Hope, St. Luke’s Medical Center, Habitat for Humanity, Jean Lafitte National Park and Preserve and the SPCA.
When not out at service sites, students attended presentations based on the service week’s theme, Unite and Explore Justice While Caring for Creation. Presentations were given by guest speakers including Ben Clapper of I Lived on Parker Avenue, Brian Butler of DumbOX Ministries, representatives from LSU Ag Center, Lake Pontchartrain Basin Foundation, Woodlands Conservancy, Pro Life Louisiana, Knights of Columbus and Loyola Religious Studies to name a few. Students, alumnae and faculty members, both past and present, also presented throughout the week.
Service Week is an important time at Academy of Our Lady as it truly encompasses every component of St. John Bosco’s oratory - the foundation every of Salesian school – a home that welcomes, a school that prepares for life, a parish that evangelize and a playground where friends meet.