The Power of Witness: STM Students’ Giving Inspires Others to the Same
By Shannon Phillips
Every year, St. Thomas More Catholic High School participates in Canstruction. This is a school wide service project with the goal of raising 20,000 cans for Catholic Charities of Acadiana by competing in a homeroom competition.
We have only reached that goal one time in the past 13 years. This year, our tally was about 1,600 cans shy of 20,000.
As I entered my classroom full of seniors, they wanted to know if we met the goal. I explained that we were short, but we came so close. We also started discussing ways to make sure the following year the goal was met. As we discussed, one senior walked up quietly and gave me a $20 bill. He told me it was tip money earned the previous night at work and he was gifting it so we could add to our total. His gesture touched me deeply, but the impact it had on that class and the ones to follow, he may never understand.
Through his witness and generosity, other students began to open their ID pouches and wallets and give as well. Some handed crumpled $1 bills, others larger amounts. Over the next 4 class periods, my seniors collected over $900 which we were able to use to EXCEED our goal. In total, we collected 20,634 cans.
It took one student saying, “I have more to give.”
This student’s example ignited a fire in my seniors. His witness caused other students to give more as well. The humility and generosity of one can start a ripple effect that causes waves we may never see. He was a reminder to me of the goodness of the young and their desire to impact the world around them.
While the entire STM student body was necessary to achieve the ultimate goal, this young man was the spark.
Shannon Phillips is a Theology teacher at St. Thomas More Catholic School in Lafayette, LA
Find out more about hosting a food drive or in-kind donation drive to directly serve the poor in Acadiana by clicking here.