Character Development

The St. Vincent de Paul Dining Hall is a partnership with multiple businesses and churches.  One of their service initiatives, organized by the Catholic Community Services,  is to serve two hot meals each day to those in need in Salt Lake City.   The cooks and volunteers at the center also make meals for six other local homeless service providers!  The sandwich initiative focuses on providing peanut butter and jelly sandwiches to help the most vulnerable people make it through the night until their next meal.

The St. Vincent de Paul Dining Hall is a partnership with multiple businesses and churches.  One of their service initiatives, organized by the Catholic Community Services,  is to serve two hot meals each day to those in need in Salt Lake City.   The cooks and volunteers at the center also make meals for six other local homeless service providers!  The sandwich initiative focuses on providing peanut butter and jelly sandwiches to help the most vulnerable people make it through the night until their next meal.

Our American Prep sandwich campaign began in November, making approximately 400 sandwiches each week!  On our last delivery, March 1st, we will have been involved for 16 weeks.  Every campus has had an opportunity to make a difference by making sandwiches!  It only takes 25-30 students 45-50 minutes to assemble and bag about 400 sandwiches!!

The Character Development Service team, led by Traci Judd, would pick up the sandwich supplies from the dining hall and returned the completed sandwiches the next day.  Mrs. Judd reported on the experience; "The people working in the kitchen were always so grateful for our students’ helping hands to make these sandwiches!  We joined their team in a small way to serve those most in need.  I was humbled by the numbers being served in the wintry cold climate.  Some were huddled under boxes or tarps, waiting to enter the dining room to escape the cold and receive some food."

With just one hour of service each week, our students made over 6,000 sandwiches this year!!  American Prep students made a difference, and we are grateful for their giving hearts. 

September 2022 - Catherine Findlay - Character Development Director

LOOK EYE to EYE, SMILE, and SAY HI!

Our kick-off friendship campaign for 2022 was a hit! The message to “be a friend” was made simple by learning the jingle, “Look eye to eye, Smile and say Hi!” This jingle introduced the key elements of how to be a friend, make a new friend, and keep friends.

Being friendly is a skill that takes practice. When you look someone in the eye, smile, and say Hi, the result is a happy feeling for the friendship giver as well as the receiver.

Students received buttons and stickers with the jingle, “Look eye to eye, smile and say Hi!” and some won prize tickets from their teachers as they exemplified friendly behavior because… FRIENDSHIP MATTERS. No matter your age, everyone wants to feel welcome and included. This jingle can be practiced at home, grocery stores, church, or other family events. As an APA family, use this new jingle at home and try out all the different places it can be practiced. Being friendly makes our world a better place. We hope these few words will stay with our students for years to come and make friendliness a mastered skill. You never know what impact your smile and greeting might make in the life of another person.

Each year, our Character Development team works hard to lead APA students through many service-oriented projects and activities designed to build character and inspire leadership traits.  This year has been amazing.  Our APA student service hours are inspiring for the first month of the school year.  We hope you will have conversations with your students about their experiences serving others and what they learned during their Character Development activities.