The service program at St. Apollinaris Catholic School provides our students with many opportunities to accept their responsibility in the community and their need to work for social justice. Students are involved in planning and implementing the service program on different levels. Our students support the Canned Food Drive at Thanksgiving, the Towel and Toiletry Drive at Christmas, the Samaritan House Project, The Table, Youth Habitat for Humanity, a Catholic school in Uganda, the Kairos Prison Ministry, and the Child Protective Services Christmas Toy Project. They visit retirement centers and are encouraged to contribute to St. Vincent de Paul baskets outside church on the last Sunday of each month.

Seventh and eighth grades have a special service program where students are encouraged to do 24 hours of community, school, and church service prior to graduating. In these ways students, as active citizens and active Catholic Christians, learn the importance of serving God, the Church, and their neighbors.

St. A's Enters a Year of "Celebrating Service"
(October 2008 Press Release excerpt).

St. Apollinaris Catholic School

Participates in National Literacy Campaign

to Prove that ‘Reading is Giving’

For Every Class That Reads 100 Books

Scholastic Book Clubs Will Donate 100 Books to Children in Need

Almost 300 students from kindergarten through 8^th grade at St. Apollinaris Catholic School are helping others while they help themselves this school year by participating in Scholastic Book Clubs ClassroomsCare, a philanthropy-based literacy campaign designed to teach children about the joys and importance of reading and giving. From October 1, 2005 through February 17, 2006, students in each classroom at St. Apollinaris and all across the country will read 100 books and in turn, Scholastic Book Clubs, the global children’s publishing and media company, will donate 100 books (for a total donation of up to one million new books) to disadvantaged children nationwide, including many who have been affected by Hurricane Katrina.

Three not-for-profit partners will ensure that the books get into the hands of the hardest to reach and neediest children. First Book®, Reach Out and Read®, and Save the Children® will receive and distribute the donations to children in under-served communities across the U.S.

"It's wonderful to see children helping children through the ClassroomsCare program," said Judy Newman, President, Scholastic Book Clubs. "Asking classes to read 100 books is a great way to get students to read more. And showing children--for the first time in many cases--that they can make a difference in the lives of others is so important. Through ClassroomsCare, the students of St. Apollinaris Catholic School aren't just reading, they're reading to give."

“Scholastic Book Clubs ClassroomsCare offers both students and teachers an opportunity to celebrate the importance of reading and to demonstrate our spirit of service and sharing,” said Mrs. Patricia Granucci, Principal.

8th Graders Helping the Environment

8th grade is getting ready to kick-off its recycling program for used toner cartidges and used cell phones. A great way to help step lightly on the planet! Thanks, 8th grade! For more information, see this link for FAQ's.

Hurricane Relief Efforts Continue

A big thank you to the group of 8th graders who helped package all the school supplies we collected for Hurricane Katrina victims. Your efforts and support are greatly appreciated!

Uganda Mission Update

Dear Mrs. Granucci and all of St. A's,
I have just received your most generous check supporting our missions in Uganda, and am delighted and most grateful to you and to all the teachers and students. I will use some of the money for school fees and the rest for the repair of our local primary school which is in bad shape. Later on when I get back I will send some photos. St. Apollinaris parish has been outstanding in their support. We are all, priests, sisters, lay volunteers and people most grateful.
We pray that God will bless each one of your and reward you for your goodness to our Mission.
Love and prayers always,
Father David

Katrina Relief

Not just part of the motto this year for Catholic schools around the country, "Compassion" has become a word to live by when our school pitched in for Hurricane Katrina Relief efforts. Hats off to the Third Graders for their successful bake sale which raised $1,500, the St. A's Leadership Team which has brought in over $5,000 in donations and the Eighth Graders for their school supply drive. Including the parish, the St. Apollinaris community will be able to make a total contribution of ~ $33,500 to Catholic Charities for Katrina Relief.

Thank you to everyone for making the 7th Grade Bake Sale to raise funds for Mr. Mulford's family a HUGE SUCCESS! The "keep the change" attitude from students through out the grade levels was an inspiration to many!
	"I brought my whole wallet, Mom!"

In February, our students, parents and staff donated over six thousand dollars to the tsunami victims. Your generous contributions were added to our parish total and a check for $29,500 was sent to Catholic Relief Services. These funds will go directly to procure relief to the many survivors. Thank you for your generous gift to this cause. It is greatly appreciated. St. Apollinaris is a faith filled community whose care for others is genuine.

For the second year in a row, the St. Apollinaris Leadership Team (S.A.L.T.) was able to prepare six casseroles after school for The Table, a homeless shelter in downtown Napa. This wonderful service project was brought about thanks to the coordinating efforts of their advisor, Mrs. Scully, and the slicing and dicing of the entire S.A.L.T team. Many thanks to the St. A's Women's Guild for the pans and recipe and special thanks to these fine representative of St. A's.

4th Grade Helping Our Community
In addition to the money's raised for Uganda the fourth grade brought in a basket full of snack foods that was donated to Samaritan House. The idea was for each person to give up during Lent one snack and help feed the needy in our community.

2nd Grade Helping Our Community
The 2nd grade class collected toys for the Napa County Health & Human Services for the foster children of Napa. The 2nd grade class received a nice thank you card from the Napa County Children Services which read as follows: "Thank you so much for the wonderful toys you donated to Napa County Children Services during the Holiday Season. The Children Services are very happy to have terrific new toys to share with children who need them. I feel certain that the children who received the gifts on Christmas will be very happy with them. We are very impressed with your thoughtfulness and your willingness to share with others."