On Nov. 20, the Resurrection Catholic School, Cherry Hill, kindergarten classes celebrated their 50th Day of School with a 1950s-themed day. Many of the students, and the teachers and aides, dressed in poodle skirts, rolled-up jeans, letter sweaters, and jean jackets. They started the day doing the hand jive on the WRCS Morning Newscast and continued into the classroom with 1950s-inspired activities such as a word search, a 50-piece puzzle, and a color by number juke box. The classrooms were decorated with 45 records and pink and blue table cloths. The students even enjoyed record cookies and ice cream floats for snack.
Dominic Grassi, eighth grade student at St. Vincent de Paul Regional School, in Mays Landing, and his family planned an event to collect candy for service members aboard the Vigorous sea vessel. The base commander, Capt. Todd Prestidge, created a plan for the officers and the use of the donated candy. The men and women who serve aboard the Vigorous are at sea for about 10-15 weeks at a time, and were on patrol and missed being with their families at Halloween. The Commander was going to have the candy individually packaged so the men and women who missed Trick or Treating with their children could give their kids some candy when they returned from sea. The commander did not tell the sailors that he was planning a surprise homecoming. He had arranged for the sailors’ children to be on the base when the Vigorous returned.
In total, the students of St. Vincent de Paul Regional School donated approximately 125 pounds of candy. Captain Todd Prestidge, sent a letter to Dominic thanking him and stated the following in his letter, “Please send our heartfelt thanks to the young men and women at your school for donating with their Halloween candy. You and your classmates have helped brighten the lives of not only Coast Guardsmen serving in harm’s way, but their more than 40 children who are left behind in South Jersey without them. Young people like you and your classmates who supported this effort serve as an example of the capability and quality of our Nation’s future leaders. You make me proud to serve and to be an American.”
Four students from St. Teresa School in Runnemede – Dean Blizzard, Angela Ebbert, Matthew Moleski and Michael Moleski – took home the Team Trophy for the Annual Academic Olympics which is sponsored by Camden Catholic High School. Seventh and eighth grade students from 10 grammar schools in the Camden Diocese competed by answering 100 questions in science, social studies, math and language arts.