ECCSS announces 2013 Summer Camp Program

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Elk County Catholic School System is pleased to announce it will once again host its Summer Camp Program “Adventures in Learning” during the summer of 2013. Camps are open to all students throughout the region and focus in the areas of religion, academics, sports, the arts, and character-building. Our faculty and staff are excited about offering these camps to all youth because learning is a lifelong process, not something that happens nine months of the year. All students, not just ECCSS students, are welcome! Booklets containing a complete listing of camps and registration forms can be found at all three ECCSS school offices, the local Catholic parishes, and right here. We hope you will join us for another summer of “Adventures in Learning!”

Theology Students Make Triptychs

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Seniors recently made and presented their project based on a theological art form known as a “Triptych.” They had to analyze the following questions: D’ou Venons-nous? Que Sommes-nous? Ou Allons-nous? (Where do we come from? What are we? Where are we going?) These are the French/English questions as presented by the artist Paul Gauguin.

Paul Gauguin’s masterpiece, “Where do we come from? What are we? Where are we going?” addresses some of the “Ultimate” questions which human beings ponder throughout life. He responds to these questions through paint and canvas, a pictorial last will and testament.

The students also had to wrestle with these ultimate questions (or they could choose their own). Below is a video representation. We will add some photos of the other artwork later.

National Volunteer Week – April 21 – 27, 2013

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During this year’s National Volunteer Week, ECCSS takes time to recognize the wonderful contributions of our volunteers and to let them know that their efforts are truly appreciated.

This year’s theme of “Celebrate Service” has special meaning to the ECCSS community. Our students are taught from the beginning that serving others is God’s will. Our volunteers are perfect examples of this initiative. They help make the programs, events, and activities of our school system possible, lead change in a very positive way and are essential in building our healthy and dynamic parish and school communities.

Thank you, volunteers, for your care and your concern. We are so grateful for your commitment!

SMCES Collects Money for Missions in Guatemala

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The students at St. Marys Catholic Elementary School held a dress down day and collected money for the missions in Guatemala. They participated in a live video conference with Kim Lytle portraying  St. Therese de Lisieux who told of her love for the poor. Kim also spoke of her trip to the missions in Guatemala and the needs of the children and people living there. Pictured is first grader, Hailey Fleming, presenting a check to Ms. Lytle.

ECCSS Advancement Office hosts 5th Annual Heritage Gala

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The 5th Annual Elk County Catholic School System Heritage Gala was held on Friday, April 5 and was hosted by the ECCSS Advancement Office. The theme for this year’s gala was “Elk County Catholic High School – Celebrating 50 Years of Success,” and the 2013 Heritage Award was dedicated to all headmasters, living and deceased, of ECCHS. The Heritage Award is given each year to recognize an individual or individuals, living or deceased, who have had a significant impact on Catholic education in St. Marys. The award was especially fitting this year as the school community celebrated the 50^th anniversary of ECCHS.

The gala also showcased the talents of the ECCSS student body and recognized retiring and hallmark teachers, the “Volunteer of the Year,” leadership and gala donors, and business sponsors. A special addition to the event this year was the announcement of the Msgr. John B. Hagerty Scholarship Fund, established by former student Mr. Joseph Hoffman, Class of 1974. A Chinese auction of donated items and live auction of watercolor paintings by ECC art instructor Pete Winklbauer were also held during the evening’s festivities. Proceeds from the gala were $120,000 including donations to the Msgr. Hagerty Scholarship Fund.

Pictured are ECCSS retiring teachers Mr. Brian Donahue, Mrs. Ann Woelfel, Mrs. Linda Roth, Mrs. Mary Meyer, Mrs. Kathy Hoffman, Mrs. Alice Robinson, Mrs. Nancy Evans, and Mrs. Jane Kronenwetter with Fr. Michael Ferrick, ECCSS president. Missing from photo is retiring teacher Mrs. Ann Vollmer.

Exciting News for ECC Baseball & Softball Fans

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As the spring sports season finally gets into full swing, Elk County Catholic High School and Salter Communications are excited to announce that The River 98.9, your home for Crusader sports, will once again be keeping you up-to-date with athletic events during the spring. This includes live broadcast of select games during the baseball and softball seasons. Along with broadcasting live on the radio on 98.9 FM, the games will also be streamed live on The River website. A link to the website can be found below. When games are being broadcast, the stream will become active and there will be a notice on the main page of the station website.

Also, as the schedule allows, there will be live scoring available through The River 98.9 staff as they score games when they are able to cover them. Not all baseball and softball games will be scored live, only select ones. However, all game stats and information will be added as they become available. Working with GameChanger Media Inc., fans of the baseball and softball teams will be able to see rosters, schedules, results, and stats throughout the season as information becomes available. Live scoring will also be available to fans for a fee through GameChanger Media Inc. Fans can find out more information and sign up for an account by visiting the GameChanger website. Once an account is created, fans can view all the available information on both the baseball and softball teams using the links below. Fans will also be able to “follow” each team by saving them in their favorites to make it easy to return again on future dates to see how each team is doing. There are apps available for iPod, iPhone, and iPad devices, as well as Android based devices. Links to download the apps are listed below.

The River 98.9 Website

GameChanger Media Inc Website

GameChanger iPod, iPhone, & iPad App Download

GameChanger Android App Download

ECC Varsity Baseball GameChanger Page

ECC Varsity Softball GameChanger Page

Race For Education

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ECCHS Alumni to Hold Benefit Recital

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Mitchell Jerko, IUP Sophomore and ECCHS Alumni Class of 2011, double-majoring in Piano and Voice and Anna Berry, IUP Senior Vocal Performance Major have been accepted to the American Institute of Musical Studies in Graz, Austria. Please join them on April 20th at 7:00 P.M. for an evening of opera and musical theater assisted by the IUP Voice Department at Bethlehem Lutheran Church in Ridgway. Donations will be accepted and will be greatly appreciated.

A flyer for the recital can be accessed by clicking here.

Joe Corbi Pizza Sale Information

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Juniors and Seniors are now selling Joe Corbi Pizza kits, with proceeds benefitting the Senior trip of each class. Orders will be due on April 11. Delivery of the kits will be on April 23.

If you are interested in making an order, please contact any Junior or Senior to place your order. Checks should be made payable to ECCHS.

Thank you for your support!

Scholarship Fund Established in Tribute of Former Headmaster

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Fr. Michael Ferrick, president of the Elk County Catholic School System, is pleased to announce the Msgr. John B. Hagerty Scholarship Fund.  The fund was established by Atty. Joseph A. “Joe” Hoffman of Dallas, TX, graduate of the Class of 1974 of Elk County Christian High School.

Mr. Hoffman stated in his agreement for the fund that he is “very grateful for the Catholic education he received from ECCHS and remembers with fondness the wonderful mentoring he received from Msgr. Hagerty.”  It was Mr. Hoffman’s desire to establish the fund “in honor of Msgr. Hagerty and in tribute to Msgr. Hagerty’s contributions to the school” during his tenure as headmaster of ECCHS from 1972 through 1977.  Msgr. Hagerty’s mentoring of Mr. Hoffman continued after high school, and he is friends with the Monsignor to this day.

In establishing the fund, Mr. Hoffman contacted friends of Msgr. Hagerty from St. Marys, faculty and staff from when Msgr. Hagerty was headmaster, and alumni from the classes of 73 through 80 who would have been students under Msgr. Hagerty’s tutelage, inviting all to contribute to the fund as well.  Many are responding and to date over $20,000 has been contributed from more than 45 donors. Mr. Hoffman’s goal is to raise $50,000 for the fund, and he is working with the advancement office of ECCSS in his outreach.

Fr. Ferrick commented how grateful the system is to Mr. Hoffman for establishing the fund and to the many donors for contributing.  Going forward, the fund will give students the opportunity for a Catholic education at ECCSS.

During his five years in St. Marys, Msgr. Hagerty made many lasting friendships and has been an inspiration to all who know him.  He gave his life for students and families in all the schools and parishes where he has served over the years.  Msgr. Hagerty passed away Saturday April 6, 2013 after a short battle with cancer.

Contributions to the fund should be made payable to Elk County Catholic School System and sent to the ECCSS Advancement Office, 114 Queens Road, St. Marys, PA  15857.  Please mark on the check that the gift is for the Msgr. John B. Hagerty Scholarship Fund.

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Students Watch and Learn About the New Pope

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Along with people from all over the globe, students in the Elk County Catholic School System were anxious to see who would be selected as the new Bishop of Rome and leader of the worldwide Catholic Church. Wednesday, excitement and celebration could be seen from St. Peter’s Square as white smoke was released from the chimney outside the Sistine Chapel, signifying that a new Pope had been selected by the College of Cardinals. As bells rang around St. Peter’s Square in Rome, bells could also be heard ringing around the City of St. Marys to celebrate the selection of the new Pope. Hearing the bells and seeing the white smoke being replayed on a television in a hallway at the elementary school, many students gathered to view the historic event as it happened.

The group watched as the joyful announcement of “Habemus Papem“, translated into English as “We have a Pope“, was given by Protodeacon of the conclave, Cardinal Jean-Louis Tauran. Shortly after the new Pope walked out onto the center balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica and the students, as well as the entire world learned that Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio, Archbishop of Buenos Aires in Argentina, was selected as the new pope and chose the papal name of Francis, in honor of Saint Francis of Assisi. The students then learned about the new Pope, where he came from, and what he has done during his holy life.

For these elementary school students, as well as students, faculty, and staff in the entire school system, it was some unexpected excitement during a normal day of school that they will never forget as they had the chance to see history as it happened!

SMCES Students Take Virtual Tour of Egg Farm

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Kindergarten and third grade students at the St. Marys Catholic Elementary School saw more of our country recently when they participated in a virtual tour of an egg farm in Willamette, Oregon. Students were able to explore the farm-to-table process while learning about keeping chickens healthy, egg nutrition, and the use of science, technology, and math on an egg farm. Later this year, third grade students will be able to apply some of this knowledge to their classroom egg hatching.