On Oct. 14, 31 students and three faculty members took NDCL’s mission statement to heart by transforming at least a little part of the world by cleaning up the beach at Headlands Beach State Park in Mentor...
Students Clean Up Beach
On Oct. 14, 31 students and three faculty members took NDCL’s mission statement to heart by transforming at least a little part of the world by cleaning up the beach at Headlands Beach State Park in Mentor.
Groups of students scoured the beach to collect and catalogue nearly 3,500 pieces trash. Students in environmental science class submitted the data on the school’s trash-collection efforts to the Alliance for the Great Lakes Adopt-A-Beach Initiative.
After students returned to campus, they reflected on the data they gathered and shared in a prayer experience that focused on the beauty of creation and Christian responsibility to cherish and protect it in order to pass it on to future generations.
Science teacher Elizabeth Ford coordinated the beach cleanup project with assistance from director of counseling Katie Koci and substitute teacher Mia Bencsath. NDCL has sponsored the event annually since 2014.
Faith and Justice Course Taps Community Resources
Students in NDCL’s fall semester innovative Faith and Justice in Life and Literature have connected with inspirational persons throughout northeastern Ohio to learn how the values of Catholic social teaching can make a difference in the world.
Common Pleas Judge Michael Shaughnessy and English department chairperson Victoria Frabotta ’86 arranged a variety of intriguing experiences, ranging from direct service to the poor to efforts to transform societal systems.
Students spearheaded a collection of food, personal hygiene items and grocery and gas gift cards for Project Hope, the only homeless shelter in Lake County. Students visited with shelter staff to explore the complex factors that lead to homelessness.
Several guest speakers have also visited the class. In September, Andrea Pollock introduced students to Next Step, a home that helps young adults transition to stabilized independence after experiencing hardships such as abuse, neglect and homelessness.
Later that month, students interacted with a panel of prosecutors and defense attorneys explored the criminal justice system and its impact on individuals and families. Participants included civil rights attorney Bobby DiCello, Assistant Cuyahoga County Prosecutor Anna Fragalia, Cuyahoga County Prosecuting Attorney Kristine Pesho, Geauga County Prosecutor James Flaiz ’95, Geauga County Public Defender Bob Umholtz and attorney Jeff Black.
Theresa Santoiemmo ’03, who spoke about toxic stress and childhood adversity effects, explained that people too easily judge others by asking what is wrong with them. Instead, she urged students to reframe their thinking to show compassion by asking others what has happened to them.
The students saw firsthand how childhood adversity impacts people when they visited Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Judge Hollie Gallagher’s mental health court. Judge Gallagher works with a team of social workers, parole officers, and mental health providers to transform lives by providing effective alternatives to incarceration.
Last week, the class learned more about the power of personal and social transformation by visiting with social entrepreneur Brandon Chrostowski, who founded Edwins Restaurant and Leadership Institute to train formerly incarcerated people in the service industry. The Edwins program boasts a less than 1 percent recidivism rate for its participants.
As he toured students through the Edwins complex near Shaker Square, Mr. Chrostowski encouraged students to develop, use, and share their talents to help make the world a better place.
