From: Leonard Kaiser

This is Catholic Schools Week and I was asked by a friend to write why my wife and I choose to send our daughters to Catholic Schools.

I will start with this thought.  I just came from a mass celebrating Catholic Schools with Bishop John Brungardt the Bishop of the Dodge City Diocese and all the kids and teachers from Holy Family School here in Great Bend.  It was at 1pm in the afternoon on Friday.  That’s why it is important to me.  Catholic schools allow my children and family to make God part of every school day they have while attending there.  They are allowed and in fact encouraged to weave their Catholic faith and love of God in every minute of every day at school.  They start day with prayer, they pray before taking a test, they pray before meals and after.   They are allowed to pray for you and me with their intentions.   They pray at the end of the day and the end of the week.  They pray in math and english and geography class; computers, PE and whenever else they feel like it.  They get to attend mass at least twice during the week.  They say the rosary or other prayers at the end of every week.  That’s why it’s important to me.  In this society that we live in of me first and God and everyone else second the Catholic schools teach children not only to put God first but also others.  They raise money monthly for charitable causes and those in need and they have service points to others as part of their curriculum.

The foundation these children are receiving will last them the rest of their lives.  I can say that because I am a product of Catholic schools myself.  I went to St. Joseph’s grade school and Thomas More Prep in Hays many years ago.  I can tell you for a fact that the foundation that was laid by the staff of the school and the priests and nuns that supported it are what have helped me through many rough times in my life.  They also have helped guide me to the right choices as well so I did not run into some of those rough times.   I am still in contact with many of them to this day when I have questions or need support.

I choose to send my children to Catholic Schools as well because of the people who teach there.  You see the teachers and staff at this and I would say all Catholic Schools are a unique group.  They teach there because they choose too.  They could make more money working for the school district or other sources but they choose to share their time, talents and treasure with the kids at this school.  They are an amazing group that choose to put God and the Catholic education of my children and many others first.  Not only are they exceptional at teaching kids about their faith but they also are an award winning group that help kids achieve the top scores in all the core areas as well. As many of you may already know Holy Family has been awarded the Governors Award for Excellence several times in the past few years.

I choose catholic Schools because my wife and I are allowed and expected to be part of their educational process form little on up.  We parents are needed to help with things like centers and lunch helpers and many other things that allow the school to spend what funding they have on the kids and their needs.  I get so much out of every experience that I have in interacting with the kids and staff.  Every time I leave that school my heart almost bursts with pride at what all they accomplish with so little.

At the end of mass today the closing song was “Go make a difference”.  The words are “Go make a difference.  You can make a difference.  Go make a difference in the world.”   I have no doubt with God, their faith foundation and the guidance of the Catholic School; they have and will make a difference in the world.

God Bless Catholic Schools and all the staff and people who support them.