Archbishop Walsh and Southern Tier Catholic School are like any other small, private parochial institution. We don’t have the benefit of big budgets and staff to do the million-and-one things that make running a school easier. But the challenge is what makes it all worth it in the end – what makes your local Catholic school such a gem in a world that needs world-class education and values.
A big key to the success of Walsh/STCS is you: parents and guardians. Families are welcome (and encouraged) to participate in real and impactful ways this coming school year. Families can make a lasting impression on the lives of students. Parents and guardians have something special to give. Imagine being able to help shape the future for students – your own child(ren) and others.
Community members who support the mission can also roll up their sleeves and chip in!
Want to Help Out Your Local Catholic School?
Here are some great ways anyone and everyone can help.
1. Chaperone a School Trip
Walsh/STCS understands that getting out of the classroom is key to a well-rounded education. Our classes take field trips locally and regionally – and even senior trips to some very cool locations. (Our seniors last year had a lot of fun taking pictures around historic Philadelphia.) Family members may travel with students to help them explore the world while gaining new experiences and memories.
And there’s nothing wrong with a little sightseeing of your own, right?
2. Work the Concession Stand at a Sporting Event
Our school has a storied athletic tradition. We may be small, but our Walsh Eagles sports teams often compete with the best in our leagues and conferences.
We need you to be a part of it! You can support students by selling food and drinks at sporting events. Show that team spirit and cheer on the kids! Sure, you aren’t a coach, but you can be a cheerleader and a purveyor of refreshments. Last we checked, that’s part of what makes sports so great.
Go Eagles!
3. Read to a Class
Introduce students to the joys of reading. As you know, reading is a critical part of the educational process – especially for our youngest kids – for so many reasons from improved language and cognitive development to imagination, concentration and even social bonding.
Words create worlds. You can help students grow to their best potential and go farther in life by giving just 20 minutes of your time to read a good story.
4. Support a Student Club or Organization
Adopt a student club or organization – and the contribution doesn’t have to be much. If you have some time and/or a few extra bucks, support an extracurricular club that your student enjoys. Or perhaps you have some area of professional or personal expertise – like acting, the arts or public speaking – to serve the students at your local Catholic school through mentorship.
Students will reap what you sow, which in turn will make them model citizens more likely to give freely of their own time, resources and expertise as adults.
5. Donate School Supplies
There’s a reason school budgets are spread so thin. The unfortunate reality is even administrators, teachers and staff at well-funded schools must reach into their own wallets to provide school supplies. The tools needed to instruct hundreds of students are expensive – but not if everyone chips in just a little bit.
You can purchase just a small amount of pencils, pens, notebooks, glue, crayons and pretty much anything else. It all adds up! Believe us, the students will put your investment to good use.
6. Outreach At Community Events
You can also volunteer at family-oriented events. Here in the beautiful Olean, NY area, we have no shortage of awesome community gatherings that you’d likely be attending with your families anyway. There are church festivals like the St. Mary of the Angels Basilica Fest and St. John’s Italian Fest. The Greater Olean Area Chamber of Commerce and other community-minded organizations schedule numerous other events, banquets, concerts, etc. throughout the year. (A community favorite the past few years has been the quarterly StrOlean events downtown.)
What better way to spread the local Catholic school mission than while chatting with others during a tour of the beautiful 105-year-old basilica? Walsh/STCS often sets up booths at these community events, providing ample opportunities to volunteer just a few hours to highlight the great character and strengths of our treasured school.
Let’s All Help Walsh/STCS Be the Best It Can Be!
These are just a few of the ways that you are able to assist students at Southern Tier Catholic School and Archbishop Walsh Academy. Many other opportunities abound, as well. Get creative. Have fun. Connect with other families and build lasting relationships.
We all must chip in – whether we’re receiving financial aid or not – as a community and family. That little bit of extra work is what makes the experience so special, enjoyable and memorable in the end.