It was an amazing afternoon at the Newark Museum for Benedictine Academy who was awarded with three (3) New Jersey Governor's Jefferson Awards for outstanding community service leadership. Celebrating New Jersey's next generation of community leaders and volunteer service organizers,
Benedictine Academy, along with twenty-five other schools, groups and individuals, were recognized by the Community Foundation of New Jersey (in partnership with the Star Ledger, Governor's Office on Volunteerism, and the Jefferson Awards Students In Action) for their leadership in volunteerism in the categories of Citizenship, Peace & Justice, and CommunityImprovement.
Our accomplished young ladies, proudly stood among other well-known schools such as Peck, Governor Livingston High School, and St. Joseph's Regional High School.
Benedictine Academy's Globe Changers won an award for their dedicated work as Modern Day Abolitionists in fighting to eradicate human trafficking;
the JTB Club was recognized for their successful advocacy in changing the outdated Good Samaritan Law regarding the use of defibrillators;
and the entire Benedictine Academy Service Clubs were honored for their volunteer leadership efforts in Delivering Happiness to the local and global communities by helping those in need.
"Did you ever wonder who signed these awards?", asked Rowena Madden of the Governor's Office on Volunteerism. Take a peak :) :
A special thanks to Ms. Karen Hatcher, NJ Regional Director of Volunteer Service Leadership of the Community Foundation and Jefferson Awards Students In Action. Her boundless energy and guidance are both an inspiration and support in empowering our students to be instruments of change in our world.
Sister Lauren recently attended the Pro-Life Rally at Seton Hall University with our Pro-Life Club. It was an informative, motivational event that gives
the youth a chance to speak up for the unborn.
Filled with prayer, music, visual
aid, and personal stories, the rally created an atmosphere filled with
only reality and truth. It was an amazing event that the BA girls enjoyed and will surely
not forget.
Martha Devia, a Junior student, won an Award for her outstanding work in protecting the dignity and life of the unborn child. At Benedictine Academy, we believe that every person, including the unborn child, has human dignity and inherent value.
VITALE-GORDON BILL TO CREATE LIABILITY SHIELD FOR ORGANIZATIONS, INDIVIDUALS
WHO USE DEFIBRILLATORS BECOMES LAW
Legislation Removes Civil Liability for Using Automated External
Defibrillators
TRENTON – A bill sponsored by Senators Joseph F. Vitale and Bob Gordon that
protects from civil liability good Samaritans who use an automated external
defibrillator while attempting to save someone’s life was signed into law
yesterday.
“The moments after a sudden cardiac arrest can make the difference between
life and death,” said Senator Vitale, (D-Middlesex) Chairman of the Senate
Health, Human Services and Senior Citizens Committee. “If defibrillation is
administered via an AED, a person’s likelihood of surviving a cardiac episode
increases dramatically. We need to make sure that the law recognizes the
life-saving potential of these devices and shield good Samaritans from lawsuits
should they malfunction or if, even with the good faith efforts to revive
someone, the person dies.”
The law, S-852, eliminates language in state statute that requires a person using an automated external defibrillator
(AED) to have received training in both CPR and the usage of the AED. The law
reduces requirements that entities require CPR and AED training for all people
who might use the AED to just the people most likely to use the device.
This law is in direct response to feedback from the John Taylor Babbitt
Foundation whose mission is make sure that an AED is available near all public
assemblies."
A SPECIAL THANKS TO ASSEMBLYMAN JOE CRYAN, HIS ASSISTANT DAVE JENKINS, JOANNE AND DAVE BABBITT, AND MARIAN JOYCE .We are grateful for the privilege and honor to walk along side all of you, to learn from you, and to experience the power of voices who care to make our world a better place.Campus Ministry JTB CLUB.
The Senior Class of 2012 retreated to Stella Maris Retreat Center in Long Branch this week. It was a day full of blessings and surprises as they enjoyed the gift of friendship, the love of God, and the beauty of the ocean breeze on the beach.
They prayed together, played together, ate together, cried together, laughed together, and experienced Jesus in their midst. It was the culmination of four years from whence they entered the hallways at Benedictine Academy as strangers and now were leaving as sisters.
Today's psalm touches our hearts deeply, "You are my son (daughter); this day I have begotten you." Psalm 2:6-11
This is an awesome thought. Today. At this very moment, we know in no uncertain terms that God declares that we belong totally to Him. He is our loving Father. And there is a place for us, our own room, in His mansion of a home in heaven.
We were blessed to welcome Father Edwin Leahy, Headmaster of St. Benedict's Prep, preside at our Celebration of Liturgy at the St. Walburga Monastery Chapel.
At Benedictine Academy, we believe Prayer and Eucharist lead to spiritual fulfillment. A senior student explains, "When we take time out of our busy schedules to go to church to pray, I feel so much better... To come before the real body and blood of Jesus Christ Himself in the Eucharist, I can only bow down and pray." AMEN.
Congratulations! We are pleased to inform you that three of your youth service projects , Delivering Happiness, Globe Changers Modern Day Abolition, and JTB Club "Good Samaritan Law" have been selected to receive a 2012 New Jersey Youth Jefferson Award in the Youth Service category. Please share this letter with the student(s) whose work was selected.
This project was selected from a number of really outstanding entries submitted in this year's NJ Make Service Count Challenge. The judges were impressed with the creativity and contribution young people are making
in their communities, schools, state and world.
We would like to publicly honor those involved in this project at a special Awards Event taking place on:
Saturday, May 12, 2012 from 12:30-2:30PM at The Newark Museum, 49 Washington St., Newark, NJ
This morning as I was listening to the Passion of our Lord, I could not help but be reminded of the young girls and women, victims of human trafficking, our BA Globe Changers heard tell their story this past Friday at the Polaris Workshop.
"They began to spit on him(her). They blindfolded him (her) and struck him (her) ... they bound him(her), led him(her) away and handed him(her) over... "
"What evil has Jesus (she) done?"
"They only shouted the louder... they mocked him(her) and stripped him(her) and led him(her) out to crucify him(her)"
"Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani!" ("My God, my God, why have you forsaken me!")
NATIONAL HUMAN TRAFFICKING HOTLINE: 1-888-3737-888
A reading from the Book of the Prophet Isaiah (50:7) provides us with our hope:
"The Lord God is my help, therefore I am not disgraced. I have set my face like flint, knowing that I shall not be put to shame." The Word of the Lord.
Our accomplished young ladies, proudly stood among other well-known schools such as Peck, Governor Livingston High School, and St. Joseph's Regional High School. 
"Did you ever wonder who signed these awards?", asked Rowena Madden of the Governor's Office on Volunteerism. Take a peak :) :
