Recent News

3rd Grade Stewardship

(December 21, 2022)  Third graders at St. Philomena are focusing on the corporal and spiritual works of mercy for their classroom stewardship this school year. Since the 2014-15 school year, our third graders have had a relationship with residents at Buehler Home.

Through the years they have prayed daily for the residents, made lots of decorations for doors and windows to brighten up their homes and recreation areas, gone caroling, played games and puzzles with residents, read stories together and even conducted interviews so they could get to better know their Buehler friends.

The pause to those visits during the COVID-19 pandemic made third graders all realize how much they really love going to Buehler Home. The teachers had to find ways to connect with them in the absence of personal visits. Things like sending the link for the Christmas program livestream so the residents can enjoy our students’ performance.

Mrs. Morgan Fehl and Mrs. Traci Heppard, third grade teachers, feel that the service to Buehler Home residents opens up the students’ eyes to the world around them.

“We become so focused on our own lives, we need to see that there are people suffering and lonely. People who receive no cards or visits from family,” shared Mrs. Fehl. This reality strikes a chord with the students when they think about a birthday or holidays without cards or family.

The teachers focus on the importance of keeping things simple, the service doesn’t have to be a grand gesture. “We’ve found that just reading a book is one of the residents’ favorite things to do,” said Mrs. Fehl.

One of the goals of Mrs. Fehl and Mrs. Heppard is showing and helping the students to learn and build a life of service at a young age. “A life of service is so important. A card seems small, but it can brighten someone’s day,” stated Mrs. Fehl. “We want them [students] to continue a life of service. Our hope is that they continue to grow in this way.”