St. James students recognized for their efforts

Several eighth graders at St. James School in Arlington Heights have recently been recognized for their many efforts.

At the all-school Mass during Catholic Schools Week, two eighth-graders were given the Christian Spirit Award.

Kelly Schoessling and Tim Schade were chosen by their peers as this year's recipients. The Christian Spirit Award is a wonderful tradition at St. James. It is a special honor given to students who have consistently displayed the qualities of friendliness, respect, responsibility, cooperation, helpfulness and honesty.

Another eighth-grade student, Marissa Leff, was named the top winner in the Eli Skinner Chapter NSDAR essay competition. A copy of Marissa's essay, "Memoirs of Paul Revere," has been sent to the Division IV competition. Marissa was honored last week at a DAR reception.

St. James eighth-grade students also performed extremely well as a class on the Explore Test, a test that is taken by all students who may attend District 214 high schools.

Of the 56 SJS students who took the test, 72 percent qualified for honors classes in science; 67 percent qualified for honors classes in reading; 57 percent qualified for honors classes in English; and 47 percent qualified for honors classes in math.

St. James Catholic School, a National Blue Ribbon School of Excellence, is dedicated to partnering with parents in modeling Christ. Its mission is to provide a foundation from which students recognize and develop their personal relationship with God, an academic culture of meaningful and continuous learning, sensitive to the gifts of each child, and tools to shape beliefs, attitudes, values, and practices in accord with the Gospel message of social justice.