OLPH School pays tribute to Sandy Hook victims

DOWNEY - Our Lady of Perpetual Help School students, faculty and staff paid a living tribute to the victims of Sandy Hook Elementary last week."We find more healing in addressing these difficult situations directly rather than pretending they only happened on the evening news," said Principal Steffani McMains. Eighth grade teacher Kathryn Ligouri, who is from Connecticut, invited students to create beautiful paper snowflakes to decorate the new building which will become the temporary school for Sandy Hook students. "The Snowflake Project" was sponsored by the Newtown PTA as a way to make the new building a little more cheerful for students. The snowflakes created by OLPH students are "simple, sparkly and beautiful," McMains said. "There are no words on the snowflakes but they were created with love." Second grade teacher Heather Mendoza took up a collection at her students' evening Christmas Show. Each person who donated to the fund received green and white ribbons, which are the Sandy Hook Elementary colors. "The funds collected will be given directly to the families who lost a child to help defray funeral costs," Mendoza said. On the last day of school before Christmas break, OLPH students, faculty, staff and parents joined hands and circled Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church to memorialize the Sandy Hook victims. "There is great comfort in holding hands and praying together as a community," said vice principal Gina Aguilar. "We want the Sandy Hook community to know that we have felt their loss. We will continue to pray for them throughout the year."

********** Published: December 27, 2012 - Volume 11 - Issue 37