canisiushigh.org
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Mr. Fitzgerald notes that as the program has evolved so
have the service opportunities for students including local,
national and international locations, from the local Food
Bank of Western New York to New Orleans, LA to the
Dominican Republic. Every student has a mentor, an adult
member of the school community, to guide and assist them
during the Grad at Grad experience.
Seeing results
The Religious Studies Department currently oversees the
Grad at Grad program with direction and support from
Rev. Frederick Betti, S.J., director of campus ministry,
Ron Ahrens, Jr. ’91, director of Christian service, and Chris
Pitek ’00, director of student formation programs.
“The Grad at Grad program is a great process
for a young man to give him guidance and
support as he looks back on his four years
of high school,”
says Fr. Betti.
“It provides the
opportunity to ask what type of person has
he become, what has he been challenged by,
what are his struggles, where did he succeed,
where has he grown, and so forth.”
Fr. Betti emphasizes that the Grad at Grad program is just one
component of the Jesuit education model at Canisius High
School and many other factors come into play during the
students’ development. But the countless examples of
Canisius students who embrace the service aspects of the
program or the graduates who go on to performmore service
in college and beyondwould seem to indicate that the Grad at
Grad has an impact.
Mr. Ahrens points out that successes are not always apparent
and the Grad at Grad program can actually cause the
student to pause and re-evaluate the direction in which he
is headed. “The program forces a 17 or 18 year old man
to sum up his experiences and look at where he is heading,”
Mr. Ahrens says. “We have had Grad at Grad students look
back and say they wish they had done more or tried
harder. But that realization is a success in itself, especially
if they become more faithful and concentrate further on
improving in the five traits moving forward.”
The view in the community
Principal
Fitzgerald
says
he
routinely
receives
correspondence, phone calls and e-mails from the
organizations Canisius supports praising the efforts of
students in volunteering their service. “I constantly hear of
our students quietly adopting an organization and going
the extra mile to perform service, putting in extra time and
really ingraining the service into their young lives,” he
says. “I do attribute some of this dedication to the experiences
they have through Grad at Grad and other service programs
at Canisius.”
Dave Zablotny ’72, former executive director of Habitat for
Humanity in Buffalo and currently in a similar position in
Concord, North Carolina, recalls the deep involvement of
Canisius High School in helping the non-profit organization
create affordable housing for those in need. “I had a special
feeling as a Canisius alum seeing the Jesuit spirit come
alive in these young men as they volunteered with Habitat
for Humanity,” Mr. Zablotny says. “They were always ready
to help in any way and their ‘men for others’ values
were apparent.”
Mr. Zablotny notes that during his tenure, Canisius High
School provided countless volunteers to help in building and
renovation projects and also sponsored the rehabilitation
of a house on Laurel Street in Buffalo. In addition to
working on the home, Canisius students raised over $15,000
for the sponsorshipwhichhelpedpurchasebuildingmaterials
and supplies.
In the last couple of years, a team of Canisius students
under the direction of Mr. Ahrens ’91has traveled to North
Carolina to volunteer at Habitat for Humanity homes. Mr.
Zablotny explains that the students often share meals
with different organizations and recalls a letter sent by the
pastor of a Baptist church that had hosted the students. Mr.
Zablotny quotes the pastor as saying, “Without a doubt, your
teamwas the finest we ever served. They embodied the Jesuit
understanding of education, spirituality and service.”
]
Front row: Eric Ruh ’14; Benjamin Capizzi ’14; Benjamin Sardinia ’14.
Back row: Mr. AdamBaber ’01, Assistant Principal for Curriculum;
B. Joseph Insalaco ’14; Patrick MacDonald ’14; WilliamDeuschle ’14;
William Christ ’14; Mr. Christopher Narduzzo ’08, Alumni Volunteer
Corps; Mr. Paul Cumbo ’97, Compañeros ProgramDirector.
CH S Today
