THANK YOU TO MR. DAUS FOR SHARING:

The Veterans of Foreign Wars sponsors two major national youth scholarship competitions each year: Voice of Democracy (for high school students) and Patriot’s Pen (for middle school students). Both programs promote patriotism, critical thinking, and civic engagement, and they award more than $1.6 million in scholarships annually.

For Holy Childhood, the most relevant program is Patriot’s Pen, open to students in 6th through 8th grade. Students write a 300–400 word essay on this year’s theme:

“What a Veteran Taught Me About America.”

Key details:

Open to all 6th–8th grade students
Essays must be submitted with the official 2026–2027 entry form
Deadline: October 31
Submissions can be turned in directly to VFW Post 7682 or emailed to Mr. Keefe.

National awards include scholarships up to $5,000, and every state’s first‑place winner receives at least $500. Last year, more than 800,000 students participated nationwide.

HERE IS SOME DATA THAT SHOWS YOU HOW VALUABLE IT IS TO KEEP THOSE BRAINS MOVING OVER THE SUMMER!

To break it down:

*98 students total did the IXL Summer Incentive Program.

*When we came back from summer, all classes did our Star/Reniassance testing, just to see where they were at from the end of May to the beginning of this school year. (Most classes did their Star test at the end of August/beginning of September).

*Of those 98 students, those students who did at least 1 hour of IXL work this past summer:

92 out of 98 scored At/Above Benchmark in their Math Star Test.

94 out of 98 scored At/Above Benchmark in their Reading Star Test.

This just goes to show....keep your brain active just a little bit over the summer, keeps your skills sharp!

PER HANDBOOK POLICY:

As the weather begins to change, please keep in mind our school guidelines regarding student illness to help ensure a healthy environment for everyone.

According to our Student-Parent Handbook, "To prevent the spread of communicable disease, children should not attend school until they have been free from symptoms (Fever, Vomiting, Diarrhea) without medication for 24 hours". Additionally, "if your child is vomiting at school we will send your child home". With the shifting temperatures, please also remember to send your child to school with appropriate outer layers so they stay comfortable during outdoor activities and recess.

Thank you for your continued partnership in keeping our school community healthy and safe!

Kids of all ages.....at all the masses next weekend (Saturday October 3 and Sunday October 4) on the Memorial of St. Francis Assisi, bring your stuff animal to mass for a blessing of your animals. St. Francis loved animals and all of God's Creation.

Then, continue to join us as we celebrate the Feast of St. Francis of Assisi with our annual Blessing of the Pets! St. Francis is beloved for his love of all God’s creatures, and we invite our school families to bring their furry, feathered, or scaled friends to receive a special blessing.

When: Monday Morning, October 5 at approx. 8:00 AM
Where: School Parking Lot / Around the Flag Pole

All pets must be properly restrained (on a leash or in a carrier). If your pet cannot attend in person, students are welcome to bring a picture or a favorite stuffed animal to be blessed instead. We look forward to celebrating God’s creation together!

Please note that Father Mark is not authorized by the Vatican to perform exorcisms on pets!