Students from Washington, D.C., volunteer at Our Lady of Lourdes this week

posted on March 22, 2011

Students from Georgetown Visitation Preparatory School in Washington, D.C., are at Our Lady of Lourdes Elementary School in Porcupine this week, volunteering in the classrooms and around campus.

In Georgetown Visitation’s junior religion classes, students explore Native spirituality, specifically Lakota spirituality, and how it opens the door to the culture they are able to experience while they are at OLL.

“These students are all very bright young women who recognize the value of education and are interested in investing their time in learning about the culture and interacting with the children,” says Theresa Lessert, principal. “It’s really enjoyable having them with us while they learn about the culture here as well as the opportunities available to them as they explore possible career paths.”

The nine students from Georgetown will be on the OLL campus through Friday. This is the fourth year in a row that students from the D.C. school have driven to OLL.

“So far their visit has been enjoyable,” says Lessert. “It’s great to have help from people who are from a whole different part of the country. They can teach our students about other cultures out there.”

Founded in 1799 by the Sisters of the Visitation, the college preparatory school enrolls approximately 475 young women in grades 9-12 who live in the District of Columbia and suburban Maryland and Virginia. While many of the students are Roman Catholic, the school welcomes students from all backgrounds and religions.