What inspired you to conduct a shoe drive, or where did the idea originate? 

I was inspired by St. Nektarios of Aegina. He is one of my favorite Saints. St. Nektarios was known for giving away everything he had to the poor. He would give away all his money, clothing, and shoes. As a priest, he even gave away his shoes off his feet to a poor person. When I learned this about him, it touched and inspired me to do something to help those less fortunate, so I wrote a letter to our principal, Mrs. Covington, and asked if we could do a drive. Last year, we did a coat drive, and this year, we did a shoe drive.

On the day of the drive, was there anything that stood out to you as memorable - a particular donation or a person who helped - that confirmed that the shoe drive was a good/helpful action for the community?

What stood out to me the most was the incredible love and support of our entire Holy Family community. It truly took a village, starting with Mrs. Covington and Mrs. Lecheler, who always supported and guided me, and Mrs. Baldonado, Mrs. Kloczl, and Mrs. Styczynski, whose daily assistance and motivation fueled the success of this drive. The Holy Family students, families, and community delivered bags and bags full of shoes up to the last minute of the drive. Finally, my parents, my grandma, and close relatives and friends shared my passion and love for this drive with others in their communities. With God’s grace, we all came together as one.

How has attending Catholic school formed your awareness of community needs and inspired you to act? 

As a student at Holy Family, I am taught daily to be devoted to Gospel values, specifically, “We follow Jesus in our thoughts, words, and actions.” These are words we say during our morning assemblies each day at Holy Family School. This has really shaped my actions towards my community, especially as I have become more aware of the people who are homeless and less fortunate in our community. I have been at Holy Family since pre-k, and we have consistently helped our greater community through the community outreach programs at Holy Family, including a Turkey or Ham Drive, a Snack Cart (which gets donated to City Teams), and community clean-up. My family has also taught me to be aware of helping others.

How did conducting the shoe drive transform your faith or help you grow into a deeper friendship with Christ? 

This drive helped me grow and deepen my love for Christ.
It helped me realize that it only takes one person to help spread the message of God’s word and love. However, it takes an entire community to make an impact. I have donated toys and helped serve meals at local shelters, but our community together truly lived up to what St. Nektarious said: “Have we thought about the fact that our heart should be so filled with love it should overflow to our neighbor?”

What would you say to encourage a peer to get involved in the community or to convince them that someone your age can make a difference?

I would tell my peers that no matter our age, we can all make a difference, whether it is by helping just one person or a larger community. They can ask their school or Church if there are any programs they can volunteer at to help others. I would share with them that you never know what impact you can have unless you try.