By Kate Kiely

St. Francis sophomores participating in an immersion retreat volunteer with Sacred Heart Community Services.

It’s easy for teenagers living in the Bay Area to go about their daily lives without ever looking poverty in the eyes. And while there are plenty of exceptions to this rule, it’s true for many - certainly not all - incoming St. Francis students. This month, St. Francis sophomores are finishing up their immersion retreats in San Jose for the 2005-2006 school year. All sophomores perform fieldwork with either Sacred Heart Community Services or Sacred Heart Nativity School.

“It’s our hope that once students interact with people struggling with poverty in their own neighborhoods,” said Ken Biggs, coordinator of retreats, “they’ll have the courage to recognize it and not look away.”

The students start the day with a meditation at Sacred Heart Church, also the site of the school. Students assigned to Sacred Heart Services walk a mile to their destination.

“This is a great way for our students to get a sense of the neighborhood,” Biggs said. “The purpose of the immersion retreat is not simply to put students to work - it’s to give them the opportunity to experience new environments, to interact with people and make real connections.”

The sophomores assigned to the school interact individually with the middle-school students on academics. They eat lunch with the students and play with them at recess. Nativity School is co-sponsored by the Jesuits, Sacred Heart parish and the Diocese of San Jose. Its mission is to educate socioeconomically disadvantaged boys in grades 6-8.

After tutoring at Nativity, St. Francis sophomore Andrew Colford said he realized how important it is for disadvantaged kids to interact with older students who really care about excelling in school.

“We inspire them to think about their future and to envision themselves as successful students,” he said. Andrew is convinced that education plays a key role in breaking the cycle of poverty.

At Sacred Heart Community Services, the students work in facilities that provide clothing and food for individuals and families in need. In the Clothes Closet, the students sort and organize clothing, and in Louise’s Pantry, they assemble food packages for distribution. The organization hopes to change lives and impact poverty by providing essential services, offering tools for self-sufficiency and ministering with dignity, compassion and respect.

When asked what aspect of the retreat left a lasting impression, sophomore Kristen Goodman said, “seeing adult volunteers at the service center - it was encouraging to see people making the time to help others.” Kristen plans to continue volunteering with Sacred Heart.

“These organizations (Sacred Heart Nativity School and Sacred Heart Community Services) provide the opportunity for our students to make an impact,” Biggs said. “If things are a little better at the end of the day than they were before we showed up, we know it was time well spent.”

St. Francis High School offers financial aid and opportunities for scholarships to Nativity students. Following the Holy Cross tradition of its founders, the high school’s mission is to educate hearts and minds to serve the world.

“Community service is an integral part of our educational program,” SFHS President Kevin Makley said. “To receive education, we must first open our eyes.”