Community Day- Putting Good Into Action

Ninth graders working on Community Day.

Last week, Saint James high school students in grades 10-12 participated in the annual event of Community Day. Community Day is is organized by our Student Government Association. Saint James partnered with four local nonprofit organizations: Montgomery Area Food Bank, Friendship Mission, Montgomery Zoo, The Blount Cultural Park, and EAT South.

Our ninth graders stayed on campus to work on beautification projects on the school grounds. Each advisory (homeroom) split up to different parts of campus to prune shrubbery, landscape, clean up, and clear paths. These students did a wonderful job working together as a team to complete their tasks.

Community Day is an opportunity for Saint James Students to volunteer in the River Region and engage in projects outside of the classroom. "Put good into action" is a motto that STJ students have been focusing on this year and Community Day is one of the many ways our students practice serving others and engaging in the world around them. #wearesaintjamesschool.

Great work, students! Ninth graders landscaping the STJ grounds on Community Day 2023.

More Than a Run

by: Keagan Cantrell, 4th grader and GOTR participant

The girls are on the run!  GOTR is a physical activity-based development program that inspires 3rd-5th grade girls to be joyful, healthy, and confident.  The program uses a fun and experience-based curriculum which creatively integrates running with serving the community. The Saint James School GOTR team meets twice a week for 10 weeks. Our runners completed a community impact project this season that was extra special to our students. The STJ Commons dining staff works hard to serve over 900 meals daily to students, faculty, and staff. The STJ Girls on the Run participants made cards and treats to thank them and show their gratitude.

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Last Saturday, the students ran a 5K to end their season. The STJ cheerleaders were there encouraging our runners and showing support.

STJ Girls on the Run participants with the STJ cheerleaders at the celebratory 5K on April 30th, 2022.

STJ Girls on the Run participants made cards and treats for the Commons dining staff.

“I can’t say enough positive things about GOTR. I just finished coaching my 10th season and I am continuously encouraged by these girls. I love building relationships with the students and witnessing them grow into young leaders. More than anything, I love being able to see them realize what they are capable of. As a coach, it is my role to lead and guide them, but they make a tremendous impact on me. I am so thankful to be able to be part of GOTR! ”

— Ann Aman, GOTR coach and STJ alum ('01)

Go Gold for Nolan and Childhood Cancer Coin Drive

by: Haley Brightwell, STJ Senior Class President

This year the senior class was excited to hold the first ever Saint James Go Gold for Nolan and Childhood Cancer Coin Drive. This was done in addition to the annual go gold dress up day during homecoming week. This day is to honor and remember Class of 2015 alumni Nolan Fields who passed away from Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma in 2016. This event was organized by the senior class officers. It was a joint effort that allowed for the day to be a success. However, this could not have happened without the help of other seniors. Many showed up very early the morning of and stood outside in the rain collecting money. The senior class held this event entirely on their own, and it went off without a hitch. This was possible because of the generous help of the seniors who participated. The turn out was fantastic and everyone really showed up and donated. Everyone had a little something to give, and it showed. The final total ended up being $1,431.60! All of this was collected in just one morning, showing how the Saint James family truly stepped up and did their part. The seniors could not have imagined anything better. All of this money will be donated directly to St. Jude’s Hospital. St. Jude’s is a research hospital that focuses on Childhood cancer research and treatment. At St. Jude, none of the families receive a medical bill, and they help countless families year after year. Every penny will go to this deserving cause and all in Nolan’s honor. We hope that our donation will help keep a family from feeling the loss that the Saint James community has felt. We hope this coin drive will become an annual tradition as a way to honor Nolan for many years to come. 

#WeAreSaintJamesSchool

Moo! It's Cold Outside!

By: Kelsey Shaffer, junior

The weather is getting cold (well, sometimes) and the sun is down by 5:00, which can only mean one thing: the holiday season is finally here! And to kickstart the season, a group of high school students headed down to the local EastChase Chick-fil-A to spread some holiday cheer. Over Thanksgiving break, Mrs. Shoults and some of her students from the Saint James Art Department volunteered their Sunday afternoon to paint winter and holiday scenes on the windows of the Chick-fil-A. The paintings, located along part of the drive-thru, are a great way to bide the time while waiting to place your order. Students painted eight windows, with pictures ranging from ornaments and reindeer to snowglobes and the Grinch. And no Chick-fil-A artwork is complete without the famous cow (wearing a Santa hat, of course)! Despite the cold, it was a great way for students to spend the last day of the break doing something they enjoy and spreading joy in the community. So next time you find yourself at the EastChase Chick-fil-A, order a seasonal peppermint milkshake and enjoy the holiday window paintings created by Saint James’ very own!

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Spreading Joy for All to Hear

The Holiday Stars, Saint James School’s elementary choir singers, made a special visit earlier this month. Students traveled to Oak Grove Inn, an assisted living and retirement community in Montgomery. Residents enjoyed performances of upbeat holiday favorites like “Feliz Navidad,” and “Step Into Christmas,” as well as traditional songs like “Silent Night.” The Holiday Stars have performed at school events like Holiday Convocation and the Winter Choral Concert, but the visit to Oak Grove was the group’s first off-campus performance. Mr Will Reese, our elementary music director, is proud of the students not only for their beautiful singing, but also for their giving hearts and excitement to share their talents and spread joy to the Oak Grove residents.

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Gifts of Love

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Saint James School recently completed our annual community service project for the patients at the UAB Bone Marrow Transplant Unit. Due to the amount of time the bone marrow recipients spend in the hospital, the medical and household bills they have to pay, and the sheer exhaustion from their treatments, many of the families cannot provide a cheerful holiday for their children and families.

Since 2001, Saint James students have helped make the Christmas season for the UAB Bone Marrow Transplant Unit patients and their families a little brighter. This year, the entire school joined together to provide Christmas presents to patients in the unit, whose families are often so physically and financially strained during their treatment that Christmas gifting becomes difficult.

Fifth grade students traveled to The Shoppes at Eastchase to shop in-person for gifts using funds donated by the class. Students enjoyed browsing the aisles and thoughtfully choosing items to purchase for the BMT families. Raising the money was one arm of this initiative, but the shopping experience provided another dimension to their giving. Community service and engagement is one of our school’s most cherished core values. We strive to reflect on the blessings we have and do our part to give back. Saint James School is proud to partner with the UAB Bone Marrow Transplant Unit for the 20th year in a row.

“Witnessing my daughter and her classmates shop intentionally for these families really warmed by heart.”

— Brittany Willis, 5th grade parent

Dream Court: Inclusion and Acceptance

by: Kate Rees, senior

Dream Court, a local nonprofit, is an adaptive tennis program that provides individuals with intellectual and physical disabilities the opportunity to play tennis. Dream Court’s executive director, Ms. Jessica Weyreuter, asked the high school art department to paint the storage boxcars used to store tennis equipment at O’Conner Tennis Center. Over three weeks, students signed up for 2 hour shifts on the weekends. Many students completed multiple shifts. The first task was to prime the boxcar to prepare for painting the design. Once primed, students were able to start painting!  The design was created by Mrs. Shoults, our high school art teacher.  Junior Emerson Hagen suggested adding hearts to the racket strings, which is a cute addition to the mural!  The design consists of a blue sky and green grass with the Dream Court logo in the center. Each side has a racket with a pink heart in the strings.  Students lettered the motto of Dream Court “serving hope, changing lives” around the edges and “be a game changer” at the bottom.  Mrs. Shoults supervised and instructed students as they worked on the mural.  She shared her thoughts on this great project, and said "I am honored that Dream Court asked the Saint James Art Department to design and paint a mural for them. This opportunity allowed our students to use their talents outside of the classroom while giving back and adding beauty to our local community. Being able to give back and put good into action is the Saint James way.”  STJ’s theme for the 2021-2022 school year is “putting good into action today,” and as Mrs. Shoults said, the art students did just that!  The bright, colorful mural will be enjoyed by all who come to O’Conner and will bring smiles to the Dream Court family. 

@dreamcourt

2021 Montgomery Kidney Walk

This past Saturday, Coach Jimmy Perry was caught by surprise as the Trojans football team loaded up trucks and drove though the Montgomery Kidney Walk at Riverwalk Stadium. The Alabama Kidney Foundation is a nonprofit benefitting local kidney patients in need. The annual kidney walk provides financial assistance to low-income dialysis and transplant patients, kidney disease education and awareness, and various patient support services. This year’s socially distanced walk raised more than $100,000 and counting. Volunteers, past patients, and supporters of the Alabama Kidney Foundation enjoyed the beautiful spring weather and fun activities at this year’s walk. Saint James School is pleased to support such a wonderful cause.

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Saint James School is so proud of Coach Jimmy Perry, who served as the patient chair this year. We are thankful for his younger brother, Scott Perry, who saved his sibling’s life when he was a kidney donor over 20 years ago. Saint James School is proud to support Coach Jimmy Perry and Scott Perry.

Alabama Kidney Foundation: Stronger Together

As a young, active football coach, Jimmy Perry would be the last person you would expect to see on an organ transplant list; however, in the spring of 1999 Coach Perry found himself diagnosed with IgA nephropathy, also known as Berger's disease, during a routine physical. The oldest of five boys, Coach Perry says he was always the one his brothers looked up to. When his brothers heard that family members could be a donor, they jumped at the chance to be tested as a transplant match. Two of the brothers were a perfect match, but it was Scott, the youngest, who ultimately underwent the surgery to donate his kidney. “He is my hero now,” says Coach Perry, “he saved my life.” Scott Perry is also a Saint James Trojan, serving on our maintenance and facilities staff.

Montgomery Advertiser article, fall 1999.

March is National Kidney Month, and we are so proud of Coach Jimmy Perry who serves as this year’s statewide patient chair for the Alabama Kidney Foundation. Alabama has the fifth highest occurrence of kidney disease in the nation, and today nearly 12,000 Alabamians seek costly dialysis treatments weekly.. The Alabama Kidney Foundation serves kidney patients by providing financial assistance, education, and support services. The AKF annual Montgomery Kidney Walk is Saturday, May 1st at 9:30am at RIverwalk Stadium.

This morning, middle school physical education classes participated in our own version of the kidney walk. Sixth, seventh, and eighth grade classes heard from Coach Perry and Scott Perry and learned their story. We kicked off our school fundraising for the AKF by placing blue and gold collection boxes in the school Commons. Students, faculty, and staff, can donate toward team blue or team gold though the month of April.

#GoGold #GoBlue

The winning team will be announced at our upcoming Trojan Day. You can also contribute directly on the Alabama Kidney Foundation website.

Thank you Coach Perry and Scott!

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From the Heart

Last week, our STJ Wonderworks students and staff created special Valentine's Day cards and messages for some of our favorite local organizations. Wesley Gardens Senior Living Community and MACOA, the Montgomery Area Council on Aging, received colorful handmade creations. We really hope the felt the love!

STJ Wonderworks is our after school program offered until 5:30pm. Students enjoy programmed activities, outdoor and indoor play, homework and reading time, and lots of fun. The Valentine’s Day craft is one of the many service projects out students work on throughout the year.

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