When Catholic Education Arizona posed a challenge to the schools in the Diocese of Phoenix in November 2018, one school took that challenge to heart and earned the top spot for matching contributions. No one expected that the smallest school in the diocese would be the top school for CEA matching of tax credit contributions on Giving Tuesday!
With Giving Tuesday rapidly approaching on December 3rd, the Tuesday after Thanksgiving, Our Lady of the Lake is once again taking the challenge. The school’s lead administrator Fatima Mu said the community is mobilizing for another successful promotion. Members of the School Advisory Board presented the Giving Tuesday match as a challenge to the community. There was a push at a Dad’s Club event and at the Ministry Fair, reminder blasts will go out through text and email, and school staff will be present at weekend masses to answer questions about CEA and Giving Tuesday.
Students attended mass in full uniform on Rosary Sunday to serve as a reminder to the parish that the school is a ministry of the parish, and the children need their support. “Visibility of the students during the regular life of the parish is, I believe, very important,” stated Mu.
Mu asserts that need is high at her school, with over 50% of students qualifying for free and reduced lunch. “Tuition assistance scholarships are essential for our school. We work hard to support families who desire to live the Catholic faith and choose Catholic education.”
Confidence is high that Giving Tuesday will again be successful in Lake Havasu City. School Advisory Board President Paula Levinsailor stated, “Our parishioners understood the importance of the Catholic School in their midst and this was something concrete that they could do to help it grow. “
Our Lady of the Lake Catholic School’s Parent Organization is stepping up to lead the charge this year. As the school continues to grow from year to year, grade level by grade level, momentum is building and community support is strong.
As the only Catholic school in Lake Havasu City, Our Lady of the Lake provides school choice for those who wish to have a Christ-centered education. At Our Lady of the Lake, students experience the Virtues of Christ program and religious education daily. Adoration, daily prayer, and regular interaction with deacons and priests increase the connection between church and school.
Choose to direct your taxes to Catholic education through Catholic Education Arizona on December 3rd! This year the Giving Tuesday match will benefit the General Fund, which provides scholarships for schools with unmet need. Please consult CEA for details.
