Service Learning

Our service learning programs at SJGS enable students to put faith in action. By engaging directly with the people they serve, students understand the Gospel’s truth that to love God, one must love his neighbor, particularly neighbors most in need.

Grade-Level Service Projects

Service learning at SJGS begins in our preschool and early childhood grades, where students begin with learning to serve others in their classroom, in the school, and at home. They also begin to participate in outreach initiatives with our parish’s St. Vincent de Paul food pantry as well as homebound parishioners. Beginning in third grade, each class adopts a local service learning project for the year, providing opportunities to learn about and support our neighbors with generosity of friendship, offerings, and prayer:

3rd Grade – St. Margaret’s House for Women

4th Grade – Retired Sisters of the Holy Cross

5th Grade – Center for the Homeless Veteran’s Center

6th Grade – Hope Ministries

7th Grade – Christ Child Society

8th Grade – Individual Summons Service Projects

Throughout the year, as part of these grade level service learning projects, you will find SJGS students interacting with our neighbors, including visiting with and singing songs for retired sisters, playing games with veterans, and working in the food kitchen at Hope Ministries. A highlight from recent years: SJGS students were honored to be invited to attend the dedication ceremony of the new Robert L. Miller Sr. Veteran’s Center on Veteran’s Day in 2011. As part of the dedication ceremony, Fr. Ted Hesburgh, C.S.C., President Emeritus of the University of Notre Dame, invited our 5th grade students to help him in the blessing of the building.

Eighth Grade Summons Project
The Eighth Grade Summons Project is our culminating capstone experience integrating our Catholic faith and call to service. Guided by school mentors, students are called to discern how their unique gifts and passions can be best applied to serve our community. Students spend time in religion class and at home prayerfully discerning a local organization to serve for the year.

Upon receiving the gifts of the Holy Spirit in Confirmation, our 8th graders are called to use the gifts of the Holy Spirit to serve with zeal!

School-Wide Service Initiatives

As a school, students participate in other service initiatives throughout the year, supporting local organizations as well as members of our Saint Joseph Parish community who may need our prayers and support. One of our largest undertakings: it has become an annual tradition to particpate in the “Eric’s Promise” initiative at the St. Vincent de Paul center in our neighborhood. During Lent, students collect toiletry items to donate and, as a whole school community, we walk the many hundreds of offerings to SVdP during Holy Week.

Faith In Action

Students also have opportunities to put faith in action by participating in causes supporting their faith, such as the March for Life in South Bend. It has become a tradition each January for students from SJGS and from other local Catholic schools to join other locals downtown for the March.

The goal for our service learning programs is that students will carry on, throughout their lives, a zeal for putting faith in action, most especially for those in need.

Supporting Our Sister School in Haiti, Mary Immaculate

Through a vibrant twinning ministry with Mary Immaculate School in Platon, Haiti, St. Joseph Grade School students cultivate empathy, global awareness, and a lifelong commitment to service. Throughout the school year, our community engages in cultural learning, pen-pal exchanges, and special traditions like sharing traditional Soup Joumou. Together, we support our Haitian brothers and sisters through daily prayer and dedicated fundraising that provides essential daily meals and educational resources.

Mary Immaculate School remains held closely in the hearts and prayers of the entire St. Joseph Grade School community.