On October 10, Mr. Tom Keating, Ms. Angela Olson, and six students from Xavier including seniors Gwen Cataldo, Jefferson Daubitz, Riley Powell, and Hannah Zwanziger, along with sophomores Chloe Kepros and Grayson Walther, traveled to St. Paul, Minnesota to visit Highwood Hills Elementary School. Xavier alumna Ms. Sara Clancy is the teacher of a third grade class at Highwood Hills. Ms. Clancy reached out to the Xavier community to start a service partnership in support of the needs of all Highwood Hills students. The elementary school has a 95% “free and reduced lunch” population and 61% of its students are learning English as a second language. Mr. Keating, Ms. Olson, and the students went to meet Ms. Clancy and her third graders with the goal of eventually providing those students with the necessities they lack, such as winter clothing, school supplies, and other items for their classrooms.

While at Highwood Hills, the Xavier students interacted with the third graders in the classroom. Along with reading, the students also got involved during gym, recess, writing, and lunch.

“It didn’t take long for the Saints to get to know the third graders. They loved to have the attention of the high school students and were sad to see them leave,” Ms. Olson said.

Xavier plans to hold a winter clothing drive in the near future to support Highwood Hills. Further details on what, when, and where to donate will be given by the students who visited. They hope to create a long lasting partnership, one that will last beyond just this year.

“These kids have such compassionate hearts and amazing potential,” Zwanziger said. “Their acceptance of diversity is something that comes naturally. I hope our school can help make their dreams more achievable.”