SJC students complete successful drive for San Miguel School
During the week of April 19th through the 23rd the English department at St. John’s held a donation drive to benefit the San Miguel School, a tuition free school serving economically disadvantaged students, in Washington, D.C. This year, the total amount raised in the drive was $23,136.24.
English teachers encouraged their students to make donations online, through the San Miguel Website, check, or cash (for those attending in-person classes) then to log their donation into a Canvas assignment to calculate the total amounts donated. Students then drafted emails to reach out to their networks of potential donors. English teachers also created competitions between the periods which they taught where the period with the highest total donation would obtain a prize, such as an exemption from an exam or learning and recording a TikTok dance.
The ‘sibling school’ partnership between St. John’s and San Miguel is rooted in the Lasallian form of education, inspired by St. John Baptist De La Salle. Both SJC and San Miguel are dedicated to and passionate for the intellectual, personal, and spiritual growth of its students.
Mr. Schaefer, a sophomore English teacher at SJC, said, “The entire English department is so energized by San Miguel week!…I have had the honor of teaching a number of San Miguel alums here at SJC. I am always impressed by their kindness towards others and their determination to succeed. Simply put, San Miguel students are awesome young men who are the greatest testament to the essential mission of The San Miguel School.”
As with many events held during the last year and a half, the San Miguel Drive was conducted differently this school year in comparison to past years because of a heightened reliance on virtual communication of the Drive’s mission and ways for students and families to support it.
Mr. Thomas, the English department chair at SJC, described the impact of these donations made during the San Miguel Drive:
“When you think about this money going to essential school resources, programming, and supporting hardworking teachers, even if it’s just helping to buy an extra book for a class library, you really appreciate what a donation of just $5 can do. Plenty of people in our St. John’s community have been generous well beyond that mark this year and in past years, but I hope that everyone can feel like their contribution matters in whatever way that they are able to support this cause,” Mr. Thomas said.
In addition, Brother Mark mentioned the value of this year’s Drive, in particular, on the San Miguel Community.
“San Miguel has worked through the pandemic as best as they can. They have had various times in which the school was all virtual and other times when it was in hybrid (much like St. John’s). Like many schools and institutions dependent upon donations, they have struggled during the pandemic. So the San Miguel Drive is very important, maybe more so this year,” Brother Mark said.
Further information about the San Miguel School can be found by visiting: https:// http://www.sanmigueldc.org
Online donations can be made by visiting: https://www.sanmigueldc.org/support-us
