Students at St. Joseph’s Catholic Secondary School found out what it means to access Catholic school education in other parts of Canada – that it’s not always that easy.
The Cornwall, Ontario-based student body discovered this potential roadblock to accessing Catholic education after the Panthers United Youth Group members visited each classroom last week. The visits were an opportunity to explain how some provinces don’t fund religious-based schools; as a result, families have to cover the school fees in order for the children to attend Catholic schools.
“The students learned about the privilege they have to obtain a wonderful Catholic education in Ontario for free while our brothers and sisters across the country have to pay their own tuition, whether partial or in full,” explains the school’s chaplaincy leader, Gordie Van Putten. “And in some instances, families cannot afford this, yet yearn for the faith-filled formation for their children.”
The follow-up to these classroom presentations included a school-wide dress down day on Friday, Oct. 16. This project was done in order to raise funds and awareness for the Toonies for Tuition Campaign run by the Canadian Catholic School Trustees’ Association.
“Being that we are a uniform school, our students have the opportunity to pay two dollars each to dress down in order to raise money and awareness for Catholic students across our country who are in need of aid to assist paying tuition to attend their local Catholic schools,” says Mr. Van Putten. “By participating in this event, our students will exemplify and live out the Catholic Graduate Expectations by being a collaborative contributor, a responsible citizen and also a caring family member to those sisters and brothers in our faith communities across the country.”
Other schools and churches across Canada are doing the same thing – all in the name of Catholic education. CCSTA launched the Toonies for Tuition campaign as a means to support its Endowment Fund, which has helped contribute thousands of dollars toward school fees since it first launched a decade ago.
In the end, St. Joe’s raised $1,088 for the CCSTA Endowment Fund.
“What better way to not only preach the Gospel in words, but using our charity and generosity to help those in need and allow other students to grow academically and spiritually through the wonderful gift of Catholic Education across Canada,” says Mr. Van Putten.
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