PROVIDENCE — During an afternoon on Smith Hill in which Catholic school students, educators and parents showcased the benefits of a faith-filled education, with several students honored for the good works they perform in their communities, Senate President M. Teresa Paiva Weed pledged to advocate for continued non-public school textbook funding.
It is proposed that the non-public textbook reimbursement fund be eliminated this year, resulting in a savings of $240,000, said the senate president.
“I’m going to promise you today that we’re going to advocate and I believe we will be able to restore the $240,000 again this year,” she said. “We believe that it is not just good for Catholics but it also directly helps the cities and towns by offsetting their costs for public education. It also improves the greater well being of our community.”
The presence of the Catholic school children made the Statehouse “come alive,” said Paiva Weed. She added that the senate leadership recognizes the value of Catholic schools and shared that she will remain steadfast in her commitment to working with Catholic school officials to help meet the needs of students, especially when it comes to transportation, textbooks and financial aid.
According to a study conducted by Bouley Planning and released by the Catholic School Office, Rhode Island taxpayers realize a significant savings when taking into account the number of students that receive an education at a Catholic or private school associated with the diocese. For the 13,513 students enrolled statewide in the 41 Catholic schools operating in the diocese, taxpayers could see an additional financial impact of $184,429,278 if the state eliminated all secular assistance to Catholic and other private schools — such as bus transportation and some textbooks — and Catholic schools closed.
House Majority Leader Nicholas Mattiello, a graduate of La Salle Academy, said that every dollar that is spent by parents on Catholic schools is less funding that communities need to expend in tax dollars for public schools.
“Your sacrifice is helping to make better citizens,” Mattiello shared with the many parents and educators present. “You are all committing yourselves to your children, to their future, for the good of society.”
During annual Catholic Schools Day at the Statehouse last Thursday 10 students were honored for their outstanding contributions to society, with four of those students also receiving the Good Citizenship Award.
With a mission to help feed hungry children around the world, Catholic school students Kevin Garcia and Ishmael Asante let their passion for service and support from their school community drive them to be good citizens.
The 16-year-olds were two of four recipients of the Good Citizenship Award, thanks to their combined efforts in building awareness for childhood hunger in developing nations.
The pair, students at St. Raphael Academy in Pawtucket, partnered Two Degrees Food, an organization that provides medically formulated food packs for children suffering from malnutrition. They are also volunteering their service to generate funds and build latrines in the Dominican Republic.
Saint Raphael Academy is the third high school — and the first Catholic school — along with 70 colleges in the country to participate in a “one-for-one” mission. Two Degrees Food bars are currently sold on campus, and for every bar sold, the organization donates a meal to a hungry child in a developing country.
“This was a perfect opportunity to give back,” said Garcia. “You buy a bar you give a meal to a child.”
When Garcia enrolled at St. Raphael Academy his freshman year, he was inspired by the school’s mission of service. Until then, he had only attended public schools.
“My faith has grown from this atmosphere,” he shared. “I’ve been so encouraged to go out with these bars and volunteer.”
To attain a goal, Asante said that one must develop a very strong belief and dedicate their lives to it.
“You can’t go into something like this blind,” he said. “You need a specific goal that drives you. I take happiness not in what I do, but in what I accomplish.”
The keynote speaker for the event, John Elcesser, executive director of Indiana Non-Public Education Association, welcomed the 31 Catholic schools representing the talent and spirit of 13,513 students enrolled in diocesan schools.
Elcesser expressed his gratitude toward the dedicated, teachers, the leadership of the principals, and the commitment of the parents, acknowledging the great sacrifices they make to send their children to Catholic schools.
“All children should have equal access to education,” he said. “It’s about putting the students first. Nobody’s chance for success should depend on their zip code or cost of tuition. You’ve got champions in this room.”
All of Natalie Swift’s six children attend Our Lady of Mount Carmel School. As a parent devoted to Catholic education, Swift expressed that the lessons her children are receiving from a diocesan school are irreplaceable.
“I really wanted the Catholic values that we teach at home to be carried out at school,” she said.
For more information on the Catholic schools in the Diocese of Providence, visit www.catholicschools.org
