Backpacks donated to the Peace Center

Cutline: Outside the Peace Center for the exchange of school backpacks are St. Mary’s Dominican High School’s Robotics coaches and moderators Crissy Giacona (left) and Madelyn Maldonado (right) with Dominican Sisters Suzanne Brauer and  Pat Thomas of the Peace Center.

When an anonymous donor gifted St. Mary’s Dominican High School’s Robotics team with 100 school backpacks, with the request to give them to a group of students that would benefit from them, the team did not need to look far.

“Building robots for regional and state tournaments is part of what we do,” noted Robotics moderator and coach Crissy Giacona who also teaches science at Dominican.  “We have students in grades 8^th through 12^th who are in Robotics, and service is also an important part of who we are. We were the host site for a Robotics Fast Start prep session where our members helped students from area grammar schools prepare for the year’s First Lego League competition. The Peace Center was a perfect connection for this special and generous gift of school backpacks.”

Opened in 2014 as a neighborhood outreach organization for people of all ages, the Peace center is walking distance from Dominican. Among the center’s services are tutoring for children, computer training, job readiness, and senior meals.  Last fall, members of Students for Human Dignity & Diversity in Action at Dominican began their outreach component at the Peace Center where they mentor and tutor students in the After-School program.

" We are so grateful to be partnering with our St. Mary's Dominican High School students in this way,” said Sr. Suzanne Brauer, OP, adding that the donation will be of great assistance to the many students served by the Peace Center.