Father Ryan High School inducted 16 students – 11 seniors and five juniors – into the St. Vincent de Paul Service Society, recognizing their commitment to service in the community.
The Society’s 19 students – the 16 inducted this year as well as the three inducted previously – have provided 3,028 hours of service during their time at Father Ryan.
This year’s inductees are: seniors Grayson Brunner, Gabby Hill, Grace Holland, Joseph Jones, Marvin Lee, Wenchi Liu, Kate McDonnell, Gavin Poteet, Itzel Ramirez, Reagan Robinson, and Paise St. Charles, and juniors Carmen Catignani, Sarah Harms, Caroline Meyer, Evie Stewart, and Peter Texter.
“These students have clearly gone above and beyond the call to love and serve their neighbors,” Father Ryan Coordinator of Campus Ministry and Service Learning Katie Swinnerton said. “For a Father Ryan student, service hours are part of the curriculum, but these students have gone out of their way to spend their free time giving back and creating relationships in their communities and chosen organizations. Many reflected on how they feel they received more than they gave, and I think they learned a lot.”
Membership in the St. Vincent de Paul Service Society at Father Ryan is awarded to students who have served at least 120 hours in their community through the Corporal Works of Mercy: to feed the hungry, to give drink to the thirsty, to clothe the naked, to give shelter to the homeless, to visit the sick, to visit the imprisoned, and to bury the dead. At least 40 of those hours must be with one organization to show a commitment and understanding of that organization over time.
To be accepted into the Society, students perform the hours of service, then apply by writing about their service along with its meaning and its challenges. They also must obtain a recommendation from their organization.
