Thursday, April 29, 2010

Marge and Thoughts

MS. MARGE GAUGHAN, managing editor of Maryknoll Magazine, presented her work with the Classroom Program that helps bring bulk orders of the Maryknoll and Revista magazine into classrooms around the country. This was part of the monthly Food for Thought program for employees and missioners here at the Center.

Sample lesson plans and posters for grades K~5 and 6~12 are given out at the conventions and meetings Marge or other editors attend.

She showed a video of how a third grade teacher of St. Catherine's elementary school in Seattle, Wash., incorporated the program into her class. Also students gave their impressions of the magazine. They focused on an article about Br. Mark Gruenke's work in Namibia.

Spirituality, sacrifice and service come across to the young people and inspire them to do something for those less fortunate. They appreciate the cross cultural mission stories that open up new people and lands to students in this country.

The story of Fr. Bob McCahill comes across in another video of a high school class in Yonkers. N.Y.

Many times the teacher will email and otherwise contact the missioner or the author of the article directly to further personalize the class and make mission come alive.

Fr. Joe Fedora's story about Peru's indigenous people's struggle for clean water in the May~June issue, now coming out, was very well received and inspired students here to write to the United Nations on behalf of the world's poor who are in need of clean water.

A teacher-consultant helps provide the lesson plan which the editors supervise with the art department doing the layout.

Ann Newbuger, a childrens' book author, volunteered her services so Maryknolll's message could get out to the younger students.

In 2010 2,4440 schools are reached out of the 7,094 Catholic schools.

Thats 143,441 magazines that go out to 336 schools in California, 214 in New York, 165 in Pennsylvania,165 in Texas and 137 in Illinois.

Since 2008 the program is free and the financially strapped schools have snapped it yp, thanks in no small part to our mission educators who are very active in those states mentioned above.

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