To kick off National Catholic School Week, Nativity BVM High School, Pottsville, honored students and teachers from its Schuylkill County's Catholic "partner" schools Monday night during a basketball game at the school.
Jennifer Daubert, director of development at Nativity, said that for the kickoff, which was Partner School Night, students and teachers from not only Nativity, but from all of its partner schools, were invited to the high school to watch the Nativity-Weatherly basketball game.
"What we are doing is we gave a free ticket to the game for everyone of our students and all four of our partner schools that feed into Nativity High School," Daubert said. "Every kid got a free ticket to the game. We have cake and free drink for all the kids and a reception for our teachers from all of our partner schools that feed into Nativity High School."
The students and teachers came from Assumption BVM School, Pottsville; St. Ambrose School, Schuylkill Haven; Trinity Academy in the Father Walter J. Ciszek Education Center, Shenandoah, and St. Nicholas School, Minersville.
According to the National Catholic Educational Association website, National Catholic Schools Week is the annual celebration of Catholic education in the United States that starts the last Sunday in January and runs all week - Jan. 26 to Feb. 1 this year.
Schools usually observe National Catholic Schools Week with Masses, open houses and other activities for students, families, parishioners and community members.
"This is the beginning of Catholic Schools Week for us," Daubert said. "We are working this event into Catholic Schools Week to honor them for their hard work and everything they do for our school and the partnership that we have with each other."
In between the junior varsity and varsity games, Daubert had all in attendance come onto the court. Then she introduced the students and teachers to the crowd.
There were about 80 students in attendance from the partner schools.
The partner night was only one of the events scheduled this week. Others include students from Nativity going to the different schools to hold pep rallies. On Monday, students at Assumptions BVM had a green and gold dress-down day to honor Nativity.
All Catholic schools in the nation have activities planned for the week.