Written by Bill Jenkins, Catholic Scouting volunteer at NCEA 2024 [email protected]
Catholic Scouting volunteers were honored to meet so many Catholic school educators at NCEA 2024! Talking with teachers and principals reinforced what we already know: Many Catholic schools around the country already utilize Catholic Scouting, including Religious Activities and Religious Emblems. But we also found out many Catholic school educators didn’t know about all the Catholic Scouting resources available to them from Catholic Scouting. So we want to share the word!
Here’s what two Catholic school teachers have to say about using these resources and how Catholic Scouting complements what they teach in the classroom:
“The activities are interesting and help instill the ideals of the Catholic faith into our students. I’ve used the American Saint Series, which helped teach about the saints, especially our classroom’s adopted saint, Kateri Tekakwitha. Each class adopted a saint this year to learn more about and model ourselves after the saint,” said Kendyl Santos, fifth grade teacher at Blessed Sacrament Catholic School in Belleville, IL, who uses Catholic Scouting Religious Activities in her Religion class. “I also used the Rosary series which helps students learn the mysteries of the Rosary and how to pray the Rosary. All of the Religious Activities are very useful resources for teachers, and they are free and easily accessible!”
“Belonging to another Catholic faith-based organization outside school reinforces the notion that faith permeates the student’s whole life. It makes the student realize that a faith-based life should be total; not begin and end at school,” said Josephine Golcher, a Catholic school teacher and Scouting leader in Fullerton, CA, who currently coordinates the Catholic Scouting Religious Emblems program in her diocese. “One of my responsibilities now is organizing the Cub Scout Religious Emblem Awards and it thrills me to see what wonderful youngsters we are producing.”
Want to learn more about how you can incorporate Catholic Scouting Religious Activities and Religious Emblems at your school? Visit CatholicScouting.com/NCEA.
We also invite you to participate in the NCEA-hosted webinar Catholic Scouting Creates Community and Encourages Faith-Focused Service in Catholic Schools on April 23 at 3:30 ET.
Catholic Scouting is a program of National Catholic Committee on Scouting (NCCS) and is the only Scouting program sanctioned by both the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops and Boy Scouts of America. NCCS is proud to partner with the National Catholic Educational Association (NCEA) to support strong and vibrant Catholic schools. The partnership between NCCS and NCEA supports both of their efforts to help young people to grow in the Catholic faith and as good citizens. Learn more about this partnership.
