Thousands of Catholic school children in the tri-state area are joining 2.1 million students across the country in celebrating Catholic Schools Week.Monday marks the start of the 37th annual celebration.

“We have a lot of fun, we serve others, and we celebrate our presence in the community,” said Hannibal Holy Family School Principal Melissa Millan.

Each day the 182 kids at Holy Family have a theme.  They get to wear patriotic clothes one day; their favorite team wear another day.  The big favorite among parents and students alike is pajama day.  The kids just roll out of bed, take along their special pillows or a stuffed animal and head off to school.

But just as important as the fun the kids share is the service they provide to the community.   This week, the students are bringing in items for the Hannibal Humane Society.  They’ll also help sort food for the hungry at Douglass Community Center’s Food Pantry.  The kids are making crafts for the senior citizens at the Hannibal Nutrition Center.  It’s all part of the school’s larger mission to serve others the way Jesus did.

“We want the students to have fun, but we also want them to see how much fun it is to serve others,” Millan said.

The theme of the week nationwide is “A+ for America, Catholic Schools.”  The theme stresses that Catholic schools are a plus for the nation.  Traditionally, high academic standards and strong moral values at Catholic schools contribute to society in general.

“What may not be as widely recognized are the outstanding successes recorded by students of low-income families and students from the inner city,” said Karen Ristau, president of the National Catholic Educational Association.  This year, nearly 30-percent of the nation’s 2.1 million students come from minority populations.

Did you attend a parochial school?  What stands out about that experience?  What do you remember about Catholic Schools Week?  What do your kids think about it?  Share your thoughts in the comments thread below!