Sinsinawa
Spectrum
A Congregation News Magazine
Building a Global Community at Queen of Peace
From left: Queen of Peace juniors Stephanie Rich,
Bobbi Benegas, and Madaline Cozzi shop for products
during Peace’s third annual Fair Trade Bazaar.
by Erin Foley
Queen of Peace High School
Public Relations/Marketing Coordinator
Queen of Peace High School ushered in the 2009–10 school year with a dedication to living out the Dominican value of community. From the time classes resumed in August, the students, faculty, and staff of the all-girls, values-centered, college-preparatory high school in Burbank, IL, were strongly committed to building a global community.
Queen of Peace students participated in many service opportunities such as a Harmony Day entitled “Building Community,” Hunger Awareness Week activities, and an annual Christmas collection for the families of St. James Parish in Chicago.
Following the earthquake in Haiti, Queen of Peace wanted to offer support to the people of Haiti in a special way. With the help of fine arts teacher Linda Vorderer and the Art Club, the entire school decorated “Haiti Houses” during the school’s second Harmony Day of the year, “Women in Community,” on March 11. One-of-a-kind pieces of art were made into pins or magnets and sold for $5 to aid Catholic Relief Services’ efforts in Haiti. During this full-day event at the school, speakers from the community and student groups facilitated workshops aimed at raising awareness of issues women face daily in their communities. Harmony Day offers students the opportunity to experience the mission and view real-world examples of their call to action and how they can impact the world. “When you bring all different talents together in a community, great things can happen,” senior Megan Graves said.
In support of the fair trade movement, the Peace community came together in March at the school’s third annual Fair Trade Bazaar. Visitors enjoyed a unique shopping experience featuring high-quality, handcrafted products from international producers. All proceeds supported fair wages for artisans. At a time when 2.7 billion people are living on less than $2 a day, we at Queen of Peace believe in the importance of social justice, and our support of fair trade is greater than ever. Sales of crafts from fair trade operations give producers hope, as well as the opportunity to provide for their families, remain in their villages, seek medical and educational opportunities, and explore business relationships.
Peace’s commitment to building a global community also extends into its morality and faith curriculum and permeates its Arts Without Borders program, initiated last year to expose students to varied art forms and venues. This expanded arts program reinforces concepts students learn in the classroom and fosters higher level thinking skills. The sophomore class visited the Illinois Holocaust Museum and Education Center in Skokie, IL, and attended a performance of The Diary of Anne Frank at Moraine Valley Community College after incorporating holocaust studies into classroom discussions and lessons. They also attended an Indian art and culture experience which included breakout sessions in Bollywood dance, Madhubani arts, and Tabla music. “The Arts Without Borders program exposes our students to passionate professionals within the fine arts community and allows them to see, experience, and understand their world from a new perspective which helps to further engage them in their academic studies,” said Arts Without Borders Coordinator Anna Reynes. To learn more about Queen of Peace and its mission, visit queenofpeacehs.org.