We are pleased to share the following story about Mary and Joe, siblings at John F. Kennedy Catholic High School. Mary is a graduating senior and this year’s recipient of the Archbishop John L. May Service Award for Kennedy, having volunteered in Honduras among other activities – while Joe is a history/religion teacher and coach, as well as a graduate of Kennedy. Special thanks to Mary and Joe for this great story!

Service

Mary and Joe’s first year together at John F. Kennedy Catholic High School was in August 2005 – Mary as an incoming freshman, and Joe as a new teacher. During their four years as siblings at the same school, they have shared many great experiences together. Service, in particular, has influenced both of them and has played a large role in their lives.

When asked about service, both immediately said that Kennedy has played an important part in preparing each of them for service to others – and specifically, that Mr. Chiodini, Kennedy’s campus minister (fondly known as Mr. Chio), was the main person who actually shaped their lives in terms of service. Joe and Mary said that Mr. Chiodini is always open to listening to students’ interests and ideas, and is often willing to offer his own connections and resources for a service project.

One service project in particular that Mary has participated in has been the annual service trip to Honduras. Each year, a group of Kennedy students, teachers, and chaperones volunteer at an orphanage in Honduras. Honduras, which is 97% Roman Catholic and has a population of 7,792,854, is the second poorest country in Central America. Mary volunteered in Honduras in June 2008. Along with the service trip to Honduras, Mary has also been involved with a variety of other activities at Kennedy, including the Auction, the Pro Life group, Student Ambassadors, National Honor Society, and the Special Olympics – as well as a Thanksgiving breakfast at her parish. All of these activities earned Mary a nomination as Kennedy’s recipient of the Archbishop John L. May Service Award, which was presented to her, along with one recipient from each of the other 27 high schools, at the Service Award event on April 21, 2009.

Joe’s time as a student at Kennedy also played a role in his service beyond high school. At Rockhurst University, he was involved in various service projects each year. Rockhurst stressed service, so he often participated in three to four service projects each year, including helping out with the Special Olympics and volunteering at a nursing home. He also performed service through his fraternity. As a teacher at Kennedy, Joe has continued to be involved with service by bringing the missions into the classroom. Last year, during Kennedy’s Lenten focus on the missions, he had a mission collection box in class, wrote a blog about the school’s mission activities, and integrated Fr. Brian Fischer’s blog into class activities.

Siblings

During their four years as siblings at Kennedy, Mary and Joe have shared a lot. Many of their experiences have been with sports. Joe coaches Mary in tennis and basketball. Two special memories that both mentioned included when the girl’s tennis team went 15-0 last year, and when the girls’ basketball team won districts this year. Mary and Joe knew that their teamwork and dedication had paid off.

Mary is proud to be Joe’s sister. Many times, people have asked her if they are related and have said how nice her brother is. She hopes to be just as well liked as he is throughout the Kennedy community. Joe has also been proud of his sister during her time at Kennedy, and has enjoyed hearing from his fellow teachers how kind and respectful she is.

After graduation, Mary is planning to attend college at Rockhurst University or Missouri State. She is still deciding whether or not she would like to play sports in college, but knows that she definitely wants to continue serving others. Along with her interest in studying to be a dietician or nutritionist, or possibly going into the field of psychology, she wants to incorporate service into her life – perhaps even working at an organization that heads up mission trips and offers resources to those who are interested.

Common Bond

Service has become as natural to Mary and Joe as being sister and brother. Their common beliefs and shared experiences have made them strong in the conviction to make service a way of life. Together they are a true example of family, and they give of themselves to each other and the extended family they have come to know through service.