Stella Niagara students model Lenten theme

Niagara Wheatfield Tribune, March 2, 2006
Lewiston Porter Sentinel, March 4, 2006

Students at Stella Niagara Education Park collected more than 500 hats for the mission in Chiapas, Mexico. Shown in the above photo (left to right) are (front row) kindergarten students Grace Cupples and Luca Sinatra; (back row) eighth-grade student Georgia Buscaglia; Sister Margaret Sullivan, Stella Niagara principal; eighth-grade student Nicholas Ieraci; and Sister Nicholas Macoretta, former Stella Niagara principal.

At Stella Niagara Education Park, Lent is more than just a observance or a dress down day. It is a time to help others and learn the power of sharing, caring and compassion.

This year, all planned activities at the Lewiston school will center on character, compassion and values. Besides fasting and penance, which are practiced as part of traditional observances for Lent, Stella Niagara students recently learned about the importance of compassion by collecting baseball hats for the mission in Chiapas to prevent cataracts and possible blindness.

The indigenous groups of Chiapas live far outside the mainstream of Mexican society, with many of them residing in villages without electricity, running water or health care. Thus, a simple hat, which can protect the eyes and head from the sun, is a very expensive item for these people.

“The efforts of our students will go a long way in helping these families who are financially unable to help themselves,” said Sister Nicholas Macoretta, former Stella Niagara principal and “Hats-Off” coordinator. “You prove that the power of sharing and caring can travel beyond borders. For that, I am truly thankful.”

According to the World Health Organization, about 20 million people worldwide are currently blind as a result of cataracts. Studies compiled by WHO indicate that more than 20 percent of those cases may be due to UV exposure.

“It’s important that our students not only develop intellectually, but also in social responsibility,” said Sister Margaret Sullivan, principal at Stella Niagara said. “The goal is to ensure that students continue to model these traits in their daily lives. Teaching children about the importance of sharing, caring and helping is a valuable life lesson.”