Tag: robotics

Lion Cup III Diocesan Robotics Tournament a huge success

Posted on by Bob Reddy

With a blast of confetti canons, the third annual Diocese of Venice Catholic Schools Lion Cup III Robotics Tournament kicked off April 20, 2024, at Bishop Verot Catholic High School in Fort Myers.

The Lion Cup – a STREAM (Science, Technology, Religion, Engineering, Arts, Math) middle and high school round-robin tournament, included 240 competitors and 30 teams representing many of the 15 Diocesan Catholic schools and was a success.

The competition was fierce, and the intensity built as the day progressed and the participants became laser-focused on being the best.

Emotions ran high as teams raced to program their robots to accomplish various tasks in a specific order in a limited amount of time. “Fun!” “Amazing!” “Awesome!” “Intense!” “Wonderful!” were just some of the emotions the student competitors had at the end of the day.

St. Joes 8 team from St. Joseph Catholic School in Bradenton topped the middle school competition, while the Verot Bots of host Bishop Verot took the top prize in the high school tournament.

Members of the Verot Bots Jocelyn Sweeney, Jaxon Kurio, Tobias Gomez, and Caden Kellum, were overjoyed that their hard work, time and effort paid off with a victory. With big smiles, the students said the entire competition was stressful, however the teamwork and preparation and perseverance paid off.

“This is sweet. We worked so hard,” said Caden Kellum.

Utilizing the First Lego League Masterpiece challenge set, the middle school robots were made from Lego pieces and traversed an obstacle course, attempting to pick up items along the way. Teamwork came into play in design, construction and strategy. Students coded their robots to autonomously complete missions for points.

The high school robots are 10 times larger and are both autonomous and have a remote control as they complete assigned tasks. In the case of the competition, the robots needed to pick up and place discs on a slanted board with slots, and the discs would journey to the bottom for points (different colored discs were worth different points). Bonus points were added for shooting a paper airplane out of the competition zone, as well as for being able to hang the robot from support bars.

The teams participated in a round robin format with each team getting the chance to have their robot compete at least twice. The top teams made the semifinals, and an eventual winner was crowned. In between the intense competition the teams had pizza and sweets.

Father John Belmonte, SJ, Diocesan Superintendent of Catholic Education, said the few hours of competition brought out the best from the students and reflected their core Catholic virtues.

“The Lion Cup is a celebration of learning, friendship, and fun,” Father Belmonte said.

Jennifer Falestiny, Diocese Curriculum Specialist, organized the event and was pleased to see so many competitors. “This is so wonderful to see everyone get so involved and excited about STREAM and robotics.”

The Lion Cup honors St. Mark, one of the patron saints of the Diocese of Venice, whose symbol features a winged lion. The competition also pays homage to Leonardo da Vinci, inventor of many of the first robots, one of which resembles a lion.

Da Vinci’s works incorporate three design attributes developed by Vitruvius, a famous Roman architect and engineer: Firmitas (strength), Utilitas (utility) and Venustas (beauty). Special awards were presented to the teams that reflected the attributes of Firmitas, Utilitas, and Venustas. These superlative awards were based on the review of undercover judges.

The day opened with a prayer led by Father Belmonte and then a blasting off of dozens of confetti canons. Many parents, family members, principals and teachers attended the competition, cheering on the various students teams.

 

 

The winning teams were:

Middle school

1st – St. Joes 8 – St. Joseph Catholic School, Bradenton

2nd – Tech Tigers 2 – Epiphany Cathedral Catholic School, Venice

3rd – CTRL+ALT+WIN 1 – St. Andrew Catholic School, Cape Coral

 

High School

1st – Verot Bots – Bishop Verot Catholic High School, Fort Myers

2nd – Tito Bots – St. John Neumann Catholic High School, Naples

3rd – Steel Cats 1 – Cardinal Mooney Catholic High School, Sarasota

 

Firmitas – Strength – St. Mark – Co-Patron of the Diocese of Venice – positive Catholic strength, culture and character

Middle school – CTRL+ALT+WIN 2 – St. Andrew Catholic School

High school – Neumann 4 – St. John Neumann Catholic High School

 

Utilitas – Utility – St. Marcina – Patron Saint of Robots – robotic design and function

Middle school – Tech Tigers 2 – Epiphany Cathedral Catholic School

High school – Verot Bots – Bishop Verot Catholic High School

 

Venustas – Beauty – Our Lady – robotic design, innovation and creativity

Middle school – Falcon 2024 – St. Francis Xavier Catholic School, Fort Myers

High school – Steel Cats 1 – Cardinal Mooney Catholic High School

 

Congratulations to the winners, and to all who participated in this challenging competition!

Lion Cup II – Diocesan STREAM Robotics competition a huge success

Posted on by Bob Reddy

The second annual Diocese of Venice Catholic Schools Lion Cup robotics competition was a huge success as 39 teams and more than 220 students gathered April 22, 2023, at St. Francis Xavier Catholic School in Fort Myers.

The Lion Cup – a STREAM (Science, Technology, Religion, Engineering, Arts, Math) middle and high school robotics tournament, included competitors and teams representing all 15 Diocesan Catholic schools. The competition was fierce, and the intensity built as the day progressed and the participants became laser-focused on being the best.

“I am very impressed,” said Bishop Frank J. Dewane to all the competitors during the closing awards ceremony. “Everyone was at such a great level. Well done!”

Bishop Dewane said his support for the STREAM program, and robotics component, grew out of the concept of preparing students for the future.

“Whether in high school or middle school, we must prepare you to have the skills and exposure to this kind of process. STREAM and robotics introduce the skills that will be used in many different areas, and this faith-infused program enforces the virtues that are instilled into the very fabric of this program,” Bishop Dewane said.

The Bishop also thanked the Diocesan Education team, the teachers, coaches, parents and the students for embracing the STREAM initiative at all grade levels.

Leah Chung of the middle school Falcons 23 team from St. Francis Xavier said the team had been practicing intensely leading up to the competition, giving them the confidence to succeed.

“We worked so hard to get ready and it was so much fun to compete against the other schools,” Leah, an 8th grader said. “We used our different skills to become a real team and it showed today. We are all so happy.”

The winning high school team, Team NIC (Neumann in Control), was one of four teams competing from St. John Neumann Catholic High School in Naples. After winning the top prize by one point, the teammates said their key strategy to success was how they focused on having fun, thus allowing the pressure of the competition to go away.

The competition was fierce as teams programmed their robots to accomplish various tasks in a specific order in a limited amount of time. The middle school robots are made from Lego pieces and traversed an obstacle course, attempting to pick up items along the way. Teamwork came into play in design, construction and strategy. The high school robots are 10 times larger and are both autonomous and have a remote control as they do assigned tasks.

The teams participated in a round robin format with each team getting the chance to have their robot compete at least twice. The top eight made the quarterfinals, four to the finals and an eventual winner was crowned. As each level commenced, the emotions ran high. In between the intense competition the teams had pizza and sweets served from food trucks.

Father John Belmonte, SJ, Diocesan Superintendent of Catholic Education, said the few hours of competition brought out the best from the students and reflected their core Catholic virtues.

Jennifer Falestiny, Diocese Curriculum Specialist, organized the event and was pleased to see so many competitors, nearly double the inaugural 2022 Lion Cup. “This is so wonderful to see everyone get so involved and excited about STREAM and robotics.”

The Lion Cup honors St. Mark, one of the patron saints of the Diocese of Venice, whose symbol features a winged lion. The competition also pays homage to Leonardo da Vinci, inventor of many of the first robots, one of which resembles a lion.

“Da Vinci’s works incorporate three design attributes developed by Vitruvius, a famous Roman architect and engineer: Firmitas (strength), Utilitas (utility) and Venustas (beauty),” said Father Belmonte.

Special awards were presented to the teams that reflected the attributes of Firmitas, Utilitas, and Venustas.

The day concluded with special guest Shevin McCullough, of Studio 3:16, a popular social media channel geared toward middle school students, who energized the students with music and key phrases to get the students excited about God.

The winning teams were:

Middle school

1st – Falcons 23 – St. Francis Xavier Catholic School

2nd – Stars Team 01 – St. Andrew Catholic School

3rd – St. Joes 6 – St. Joseph Catholic School

High School

1st – Team NIC (Neumann in Control) – St. John Neumann Catholic High School

2nd – Black & Gold Warriors (BGW) – Bishop Verot Catholic High School

3rd – Nerds Inc. – Bishop Verot Catholic High School

Venustas – Beauty – Our Lady – robotic design, innovation and creativity

Middle school – Phoenix #2 – St. Charles Borromeo Catholic School

High school – Academic Weapons, St. John Neuman Catholic High School

Utilitas – Utility – St. Marcina – Patron Saint of Robots – robotic design and function

Middle school – Falcons 23 – St. Francis Xavier Catholic School

High school – Team NIC (Neumann in Control) – St. John Neumann Catholic High School

Firmitas – Strength – St. Mark – Co-Patron of the Diocese of Venice – positive Catholic strength, culture and character

Middle school – ECS Tigers 1 – Epiphany Cathedral Catholic School

High school – Black & Gold Warriors (BGW) – Bishop Verot Catholic High School

News Briefs for the Week of April 7, 2023

Posted on by Bob Reddy

Bishop Lenten school Masses come to an end

Bishop Frank J. Dewane concluded March with the last of 15 Masses for students at Diocesan Catholic schools. The Bishop’s message throughout Lent was to use the three pillars of the Season (prayer, fasting and almsgiving) as a basis for having a productive Lent. As the Season drew to a close, the Bishop encouraged the students to finish their Lenten Season strong in anticipation of the Resurrection on Easter. The final three school Masses took place at St. Joseph Catholic School in Bradenton on March 30, 2023, at Epiphany Cathedral Catholic School in Venice and Incarnation Catholic School in Sarasota, both on March 31. Bishop Dewane celebrates Mass for students at each Diocesan Catholic school at least twice a year, usually at the start of the academic year (August and September) and then during Lent. The Bishop also celebrates Masses at schools on other special occasions when his schedule allows.

Palm Sunday marked throughout Diocese

Palm Sunday of the Passion of the Lord marks the triumphant entrance of Jesus into Jerusalem and starts the events which are marked throughout Holy Week which include the Lord’s crucifixion and Resurrection on Easter. Father Robert Tatman, Parochial Vicar at St. Jude Parish Sarasota, opened the Vigil Mass with the reading of the Gospel of Matthew (21: 1-11), prior to the blessing and procession with palms. This scene was repeated at Parishes throughout the Universal Church, with options to process from another location into the church, to start in the narthex of the church, or a simple opening with a blessing of palms and opening procession. The Mass includes the Passion of the Lord, also from the Gospel of Matthew (26:14-27:66 or 27:11-54).

Several Diocesan schools host Galas

Three Diocesan Catholic schools recently held their respective Galas, each serving as a celebration promoting the benefits of a Catholic education. The Incarnation Catholic School “Through the Years Gala” was March 30, 2023, at The Field Club in Sarasota. Honored during the evening was Sister Monica Paul Fraser, OP, former longtime Incarnation principal who continues to serve the school and Parish community. St. Elizabeth Seton Catholic School in Naples hosted its annual Broadway Lights Gala & Auction on April 1, at The Players Club & Spa. Bishop Frank J. Dewane was present for this event which also featured a sampling of the first ever school musical “Godspell.” St. Joseph Catholic School in Bradenton hosted its own “A Night of the Red Carpet” event, also April 1, at The Celebration of Life Center in Lakewood Ranch. The evening highlighted the school’s performing arts program and focused on the fundraising for the north campus improvement project.

High school hosts “Easter Egg Hunt”

Pre-kindergarten students from St. Francis Xavier Catholic School in Fort Myers and St. Andrew Catholic School in Cape Coral converged on Bishop Verot Catholic High School for the annual Easter Egg Hunt on March 31, 2023, in Fort Myers. The eager young students were greeted by an Easter bunny and they first gathered in prayer before enjoying coloring, as well as fun and games. The highlight, of course, was the mad scramble during the Easter Egg Hunt which took place on the football field.

Battle of robots in Naples

The “1st Annual Battle of the (Ro)Bots” took place during an assembly at St. John Neumann Catholic High School in Naples on April 4, 2023.  The Neumann Robotics class has worked tirelessly to build, configure and battle for the top spots on the school leaderboard for the year. The “Battle of the (Ro)Bots” challenge determined which teams will be going to compete in the Diocesan Lions Cup Challenge on April 22 in Fort Myers. The winner was Los Robotos Hermanos.

Catholic Schools Week 2023 – Shining a light on Catholic Education

Posted on by Bob Reddy

Each day is a celebration of educating the mind, body and spirit at Catholic Schools throughout the Diocese of Venice.

A more public celebration will occur the week of Jan. 29 to Feb. 4, 2023, when Diocesan schools will participate in a series of exciting activities as part of the 49th annual National Catholic Schools Week.

Sponsored by the National Catholic Educational Association (NCEA), the week provides an annual opportunity to share the good news about Catholic Schools. The theme, “Catholic Schools: Faith. Excellence. Service.” focuses on the important spiritual, academic, and societal contributions provided by a Catholic education firmly rooted in the Truth of the Gospel.

Schools typically observe the annual celebration week with Masses, open houses and other activities for students, families, parishioners and community members. On the weekend starting Catholic Schools Week, look for students to speak at Masses to explain the benefits of supporting their education.

Bishop Frank J. Dewane said Diocesan Catholic Schools not only educate the mind but also the soul, teaching the students to have a concern for their brothers and sisters, whether they live in the same country, down the street, or in their classroom through prayer, and the teaching of values, morals and virtues.

“Through this broader approach, the student begins to learn, to reach out, and to touch the other, seeing for themselves that we are all made in the image and likeness of God,” Bishop Dewane said.

Father John Belmonte, SJ, Diocesan Superintendent of Catholic Education said this reality is what distinguishes Catholic schools in the Diocese from all others.

“The basics of any education in a Catholic school has to do with learning and training people to think critically, to understand what is the truth. By truth, we mean capital T – as in Jesus,” Father Belmonte explained. “It’s also about training their wills and teaching them to make good decisions so that they can do the good that is needed by not only their families and themselves but by society.”

Diocesan Schools have a unique kindergarten through 12 STREAM (science, technology, religion, engineering, arts and mathematics) curriculum using robotics as a catalyst for success.

“We prepare our students for today and the future,” Bishop Dewane said. “We give the students what they need for success in this challenging world, and our STREAM and robotics programs is enhance what we were already doing. Therefore, when it was decided to expand this initiative, it was clearly worth doing throughout all grade levels.”

Father Belmonte said the Diocese of Venice is the only Diocese in the country to take this expansive approach to STREAM, which is all connected to the faith. Diocesan Catholic school students learn virtues such as truth, beauty, and goodness, which are transcendental. The additional “Gifts of Christ,” are prudence affability, humility, and fortitude. Added to the robotics program this year, are courage, diligence, solidarity and charity.

“To offer innovation from the earliest ages puts us ahead of other schools,” Father Belmonte said. “Yes, it’s the study of STREAM, but it’s much more than that. This is about the education of the soul.”

Bishop Dewane said the Diocesan robotic STREAM initiative is being done in a context of why Catholic schools exist. “We are helping students to discover who they are as men and women of faith, as we let our students learn these virtues that Christ calls us to, time after time in the Gospel.”

Catholic Schools Week 2023 comes at a time when 10 of the 15 Diocesan schools are continuing their recovery from damage incurred during Hurricane Ian. Most significantly, the storm disrupted the lives of school families, faculty and staff.

“Everybody in the schools and communities of faith throughout the Diocese came together,” Bishop Dewane said. “People helped each other and helped their schools to work in a safe way to create new learning spaces so the students could be back at school quickly and feel comfortable again. My thanks and patience to everyone, and compliments for the adaptive nature taken to make everything happen so fast.”

Father Belmonte said Hurricane Ian brought school communities together and when possible, teams from schools went into their neighborhoods to help individuals and families pick up the pieces of their destroyed homes. In addition, there was an outpouring of support from across the region, state and country, funneled through the Diocese, which was directed at helping families and schools recover.

“The response was remarkable,” Father Belmonte added. “It was also healthy to get students back into the classrooms as quickly as possible, while the parents appreciated how well we responded.”

The 15 Diocesan Catholic Schools, serving 5,837 students, is an investment in the future and they serve as the heart of the Diocese, building the Catholic leadership of tomorrow. Schools are in Bradenton, Sarasota, Venice, Port Charlotte, Fort Myers, Cape Coral, Naples, Ave Maria and Sebring.

Scholarships are available to help ease some of the financial burden, and families should not assume that they wouldn’t qualify. In addition to school, Parish and Diocesan support, state scholarships such as Step Up For Students and McKay are also available.

Consistent academic excellence prevails at Diocesan Catholic schools, with the three high schools graduating every student and 99 percent going on to higher education, many with academic scholarships in hand. Students in all of the schools score at the advanced level on national tests while being grounded in the knowledge of the Catholic Faith.

To learn more about Diocese of Venice Catholic Schools, please visit https://dioceseofvenice.org/catholicschools.

The January 2023 Relevant Radio podcast of “Witnessing Faith with Bishop Dewane” discusses Catholic Schools. To listen to this month’s show, please visit https://dioceseofvenice.org/our-bishop/.

News Briefs for the Week of Jan. 27, 2023

Posted on by Bob Reddy

Retreat brings Deacons together

Two retreats were recently held for the Permanent Deacons of the Diocese of Venice, first Jan. 19, 2023, at Our Lady of Lourdes Parish in Venice and then on Jan. 21, at Resurrection Parish in Fort Myers. The retreats were presented by Deacon Dominic Cerrato, Director of Diaconal Ministries and editor of “The Deacon Magazine.”  The goal for the retreat was to offer the opportunity for the Deacons to grow in greater intimacy with Christ the Servant. The retreat reemphasized what the Deacons committed to during the prayer of ordination as it relates to: “Our relationship to Him; Our Identity in Him; Our mission with Him.” Deacon Cerrato explained that these are the three key elements in grasping the essential nature of the Diaconate.

Principal gathering held in Sarasota

Diocese of Venice Catholic Schools principals gathered for their Colloquio 2023 meeting Jan. 19-20, 2023, in Sarasota. The meeting focused on goal setting and empowering the principals in how they can support their faculty and staff to help ensure long-term retention. The keynote was Tony Ferraro, of Floyd Consulting, who spoke on “The Dream Manager,” a program based on a book by acclaimed author Matthew Kelly. The book is a business parable about how companies can achieve remarkable results by helping their employees fulfill their dreams. The meeting was organized by Father John Belmonte, SJ, Superintendent of Catholic Education, and Jennifer Falestiny, Diocesan Curriculum Specialist.

Robotics program teaches “Gifts of Christ”

Third grade students at St. Francis Xavier Catholic School began the robotics unit Jan. 18, 2023, in technology class and are learning to focus on the Gift of Christ, affability, with their partner. Working together, the students built a robotic snail and used block coding to create the snail’s communication through signal lights.

Catholic Charities Christmas Appeal ending

The 21st Annual Catholic Charities Christmas Appeal is continuing through the end of January 2023. A donation to the Appeal strengthens Catholic Charities ability to provide much-needed support, for those recovering from Hurricane Ian, or who need any type of assistance in the region. This outreach is accomplished through more than 35 programs in locations throughout the 10-county Diocese. These programs annually support more than 100,000 individuals and families in ways both large and small. To support the Christmas Appeal, please visit www.catholiccharitiesdov.org or mail a contribution to Catholic Charities, Diocese of Venice, Inc., 1000 Pinebrook Road, Venice, FL 34285.

Last call to book hotel rooms for Diocesan Eucharistic Congress

The two-part Diocese of Venice Eucharistic Congress and Youth Rally is coming March 24 and 25, 2023, to the Caloosa Sound Convention Center and Luminary Hotel on the riverfront of downtown Fort Myers. For those wishing to spend the evening of the 24th or 25th at the Luminary Hotel, the deadline to obtain a special rate is Feb. 1, please make your reservation by visiting https://www.marriott.com/event-reservations/reservation-link.mi?id=1658159545793&key=GRP&app=resvlink. The Eucharistic Congress Youth Rally is 5 to 10 p.m., Friday, March 24, while the Adult Eucharistic Congress is Saturday, March 25. Exciting speakers and musicians are scheduled for these two events. Both events will include Eucharistic Processions and the opportunity to grow closer to the Lord through the Blessed Sacrament. Visit https://dioceseofvenice.org/eucharistic-congress/ to register and for additional details.

News Briefs for Nov. 18, 2022

Posted on by Bob Reddy

Family Day in Wauchula

The 2022 St. Michael Parish Family Day on Nov. 12, 2022, in Wauchula, welcomed more than 130 families (over 250 participants to include parents and their children) for a beautiful day filled with guest speakers about parenting, a young adult guest speaker, and children learning about the Eucharist and how to have a stronger relationship with Jesus. There were family games and raffles. The day ended with a Eucharistic Procession and Holy Mass, and dinner. The day focused on prayer for the conversion of all, that they may seek God in the Eucharist to guide them as a united family.

Naples Scout recognized

Luke P. Rubino, a senior at Naples High School and St. Ann Catholic School Class of 2019, achieved Eagle Rank from the Boy Scouts of America-Southwest Florida Council/Alligator District with Troop 165, now affiliated with St. Ann Parish in Naples. Luke was also awarded the Good Citizenship Award presented by the Marine Corps League (E.T. Brisson Detachment #063) of Naples on Nov. 13, 2022, in the Parish Hall.

New altar servers blessed

Father Luis Pacheco, Pastor of St. Paul Parish in Arcadia, recently welcomed and blessed a new group of altar servers. The blessing took place Nov. 13, 2022, for the boys and girls who completed a training program. These servers will now be able to serve at Masses each week.

Naples students build bikes

More than 30 St. John Neumann Catholic High School students came together with Key and Kiwanis clubs from around the county to build bikes with the Bikes for Tykes Organization at Palmetto Ridge High School in Naples on Nov. 12, 2022. Students worked in teams of two assembling new bikes that were donated to local families. During the event, some of the students entertained the waiting children with face painting and games.

Fort Myers robotics team gains experience

The Bishop Verot Catholic High School robotics program hosted two local robotics teams to work on their designs and programming in Fort Myers on Nov. 5, 2022. The “Java the Hutt” team was incredibly helpful, as they brought their robot and helped the Verot teams get their bots built and programmed to move. The students learned about the latest version of a competition robot. The Cypress Lake team shared ideas and were instrumental in getting a playing field constructed, while advising about which materials to purchase and use to help construct future Verot robots. Events like this are vital to the growth of robotics in Southwest Florida.

Thanksgiving festival delights children

St. Martha Catholic School National Junior Honor Society hosted a Thanksgiving Festival for students in kindergarten through second grade in Sarasota on Nov. 14, 2022. The students decorated their own cookies, colored placemats, created turkeys, wrote what they are thankful for, played Thanksgiving Bingo and completed Thanksgiving Math.

 

News Briefs for the Week of Feb. 5, 2022

Posted on by Bob Reddy

Sebring robotics team demonstrate skills

The St. Catherine Catholic School Robotics Team demonstrated their skills on Feb. 15, 2022, in Sebring during a visit from Diocese of Venice Superintendent of Catholic Education Father John Belmonte, SJ, and Jennifer Falestiny, Diocesan Curriculum Specialist. The team has made remarkable progress in their skill level and has participated in a few competitions to hone their skills in preparation for a Diocesan Robotics Competition in May.

40 Days for Life in Sarasota and Fort Myers

Join other Christians during Lent (through April 10), for the Spring 40 Days for Life Campaign in Fort Myers and Sarasota. This year’s Campaign is the biggest Lenten effort yet, with prayer vigils planned in 588 cities. This Campaign encompasses 40 days of prayer and fasting for an end to abortion. Stand and peacefully pray during vigils in the public right-of-way outside Planned Parenthood in Fort Myers or Sarasota. The Fort Myers prayer vigil is 9 a.m.-5 p.m., Monday to Saturday, at 6418 Commerce Park Drive. The Sarasota prayer vigil is daily from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. at 736 Central Ave. Check with your local Parish to learn the days they are committed to standing up for life. Most participants are encouraged to spend at least one hour in silent prayer in front of a local abortion facility seeking an end to legalized abortion in the U.S. With a landmark case before the U.S. Supreme Court now there has never been more reason for hope and prayer. For 40 Days for Life information on the two Diocesan locations, please go to www.40daysforlife.com/sarasota or www.40daysforlife.com/fortmyers.

National Merit Finalists named

Congratulations to the seven Diocese of Venice Catholic high school seniors for advancing as Finalists in the National Merit Scholarship Program! The finalists are: Alexis Camina of St. John Neumann Catholic High School in Naples; Catherine Graham and Winston Fairchild of Donahue Catholic Academy of Ave Maria Parish; Hallie Monserez, Peter Etz and Sofia Cava of Cardinal Mooney Catholic High School in Sarasota; and Sophia Miller of Bishop Verot Catholic High School in Fort Myers. Finalists have an opportunity to continue in the competition for some 7,500 National Merit Scholarships worth more than $30 million. The process to become a Finalist includes submitting a detailed application with information about their academic record, participation in school and community activities, demonstrated leadership abilities, employment, as well as honors and awards received.

“Pope’s Rabbi” speaking in Naples

The Catholic-Jewish Dialogue of Collier County presents Rabbi Abraham Skorka, a longtime friend of Pope Francis, for a presentation at 3 p.m., Sunday, April 3, at St. John the Evangelist Parish, 625 111th Ave. N., Naples. With his return visit to the Diocese of Venice, Rabbi Skorka will describe his ongoing Catholic-Jewish dialogue with Pope Francis beginning while the Pontiff was Archbishop of Buenos Aires and which continues to this day. The program is presented by the Catholic-Jewish Dialogue of Collier County, the Diocese of Venice and the Jewish Federation of Greater Naples. Tickets are $18 per person in advance ($25 at the door if space is available). To purchase tickets, please visit www.jewishnaples.org.

Catholic schools preparing to open

Posted on by Bob Reddy

Lesson plans are being drawn up and classrooms and being decorated as work is ongoing to ensure everything is ready for the start of the 2021-2022 Academic Year in Diocese of Venice Catholic Schools.

Father John Belmonte, SJ, Diocese Superintendent of Catholic Education, said that enrollment is up across the 15 Catholic schools in the Diocese and that several initiatives are moving forward to engage students to not only grow academically but, more importantly, spiritually.

In a July 23, 2021 letter to parents and guardians Bishop Frank J. Dewane and Father Belmonte announced the 2021-2022 Academic Year for Diocese of Venice Catholic Schools will start on time and will continue to provide Christ-centered education in-person, five days a week.

The letter also stressed that the priority remains to provide a safe and healthy environment for all students and employees.

Guidelines for the 2021-2021 school year include:

  • Prayers for the continued wellbeing of all students, as well as faculty and staff.
  • Masks for students, staff, and volunteers are optional but indeed highly encouraged.
  • It is understood that changes to these guidelines may be made at any time. The Diocese of Venice Department of Education will continue to monitor guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and other experts.
  • Vaccinations for Covid-19 are not mandated.
  • Social distancing protocols will not be required.

“The Diocese of Venice Department of Catholic Education strongly encourages families to continue following recommended preventative measures to reduce the spread of the virus and stay healthy,” the letter from the Bishop and Father Belmonte continued. “Let us be united in prayer for the safety and wellbeing of our students.”

The letter included gratitude to parents and guardians, as well as students, faculty, staff and volunteers, for the success of the 2020-2021 Academic Year. Additional gratitude was expressed for the patience and understanding of all as planning for the new school year progressed.

Meanwhile, Diocesan Catholic schools continue to be at the forefront in education with a curriculum that is STREAM-based (Science, Technology, Religion, Engineering, Arts and Math). This initiative has been a priority for many years and highlights religion as a dimension which help students have a superior academic experience rooted in the teachings of Jesus Christ. Father Belmonte stressed that the primary function of all Diocesan Catholic schools is to introduce the world to its Savior. This is being accomplished through the development of a strong Catholic culture at each school.

To further the STREAM aspect of Catholic education, Father Belmonte said the previously announced initiative involving robots, in a partnership with FIRST® (“For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology), is moving forward and will be integrated into each school and at every grade level.

All Diocesan schools were provided with age-appropriate kits and robots to compete at the highest levels of competition through FIRST®. These kits use LEGO products, such as Duplo blocks for the youngest students, and more traditional blocks for older students. Each progressive kit increases with difficulty and broadens the concepts learned in earlier years. Older students will build robots for competitions.

Keeping in line with the effort to build a strong Catholic culture, the initiative incorporates Catholic values and virtues through the Diocesan curriculum called, “The Gifts of Christ: Truth, Beauty, Goodness, Affability, Fortitude, Humility, and Prudence.”

This partnership with FIRST® was made possible through the generosity and vision of Bishop Dewane who made the initial investment of some 500 robots and other resources to the schools. “It is all about investing in our students because they are our mission and we want them to succeed; to become the leaders, the professionals, the faith witnesses of tomorrow,” Bishop Dewane said during the March announcement of the initiative.

The earlier cited growth in enrollment is directly related to the robot initiative. Parents of newly enrolled students have cited the visionary aspect of the program, with its Faith component, as a key factor in their decision to choose a Diocese Catholic school.

In addition to the robotics, Diocese Catholic schools will continue to build their devotion to St. Joseph, as part of the ongoing “Year of St. Joseph.” This will be accomplished through an initiative planned to begin in October which will include bringing prayer and devotion to the home.

Meanwhile, the different schools continue to work hard in preparing classrooms and other facilities to be ready for the return on students the week of Aug. 9. Among that work included the upgrade of facilities including fencing, landscaping, roofing, renovated classrooms and much more.

To learn more about Diocese of Venice Catholic Schools, please visit https://dioceseofvenice.org/offices/offices-departments/catholicschools/.

STREAM initiative has big roll out

Posted on by Bob Reddy

The Diocese of Venice is uniformly strengthening STREAM education in 15 Diocesan Catholics Schools through investment in a partnership with FIRST®, a global robotics community, “For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology,” placing students ahead of the curve in primary fields while continuing to promote core Catholic virtues.

This initiative came about under the direction of Bishop Frank J. Dewane who said the investment is a means to an end, an upping of the skills taught at each Diocesan Catholic school.

“It is all about investing in our students because they are our mission and we want them to succeed; to become the leaders, the professionals, the faith witnesses of tomorrow,” Bishop Dewane added. “This will develop our students into who they are becoming as men and women of God; and therefore, who they will become ethical scientists, ethical business people, ethical engineers and all of that has to be built upon a base of Faith.”

A gift of 500 robots and curricular resources were presented by Bishop Dewane to Diocesan Catholic Schools on March 10, 2021 in the Zazarino Center of St. Martha Catholic School and St. Mary Academy in Sarasota. Present in support of the announcement were Catholic school principals and numerous priests. Greg Harrell, a Cardinal Mooney Catholic High School alum, who is an engineer and designs bridges, praised the Diocesan initiative and said “You had me at robots!”

Bishop Dewane explained that he understands the students of today and tomorrow need to be rigorously challenged through STREAM – Science, Technology, Religion, Engineering, Arts and Math. As an educational leader, the Bishop is making a long-term investment in student success through his pledge to provide all Diocesan Catholic schools with age-appropriate kits and robots to compete at the highest levels of competition through FIRST® while integrating Catholic values and virtues through the Diocesan curriculum called, “The Gifts of Christ: Truth, Beauty, Goodness, Affability, Fortitude, Humility, and Prudence.”

These kits use LEGO products, such as Duplo blocks for the youngest students, and more traditional blocks for older students. Each progressive kit increases with difficulty and broadens the concepts learned in earlier years. By middle and high school levels, students will be building competition robots.

Students from PK-3 through Grade 12 will join others worldwide for age-appropriate learning, designing, and building robots of all sizes while offering young people a chance to proudly dream of working as true leaders in science and technology fields. Through teamwork and competition, students gain self-confidence and valuable, real-world skills that can open pathways for all types of career choices in STREAM.

The March 10 presentation included a press conference and demonstration of robots by students from St. Martha and St. Mary. The students showed Bishop Dewane how they use a computer to program a small robot through an obstacle course while doing various tasks. The younger students shared different projects they worked on in the days leading up to the event. Each student expressed to the Bishop how exciting it is to work with the robots and blocks all while learning many skills.

St. Martha and St. Mary joined St. Charles Borromeo Catholic School in Port Charlotte, St. Francis Xavier Catholic School in Fort Myers and St. Andrew Catholic School in Cape Coral in being part of the pilot introduction for the robotics program.

While robots are a major part of the FIRST® program, it is just a tool that expands upon the idea of project-based learning and cognitive thought processes, helping to develop skills such as leadership, communication, complex problem solving, teamwork and creativity. All of this is being done with an added dimension of our Catholic Faith which remains the first job of all Diocesan schools.

“Every student attending Diocese of Venice Catholic Schools from this point forward will have this curriculum and these activities on a daily basis,” said Father John Belmonte, SJ, Diocesan Superintendent of Catholic Education. “We are the only Diocese in full partnership with FIRST, and the K-12 program combines to position our students to learn lessons and develop the skills necessary to be leaders of the future.”

Jennifer Falestiny, Diocesan Curriculum Specialist, who helped to facilitate the partnership between the Diocese and FIRST®, said schools will begin integrating the program for the final quarter of the 2021 academic year. The balance of schools and teachers will be introduced to the project in June for implementation in the 2021-2022 academic year.

Diocese partners to broaden STREAM curriculum

Posted on by Bob Reddy

A major investment in the students at Diocese of Venice Catholic Schools today will have lasting benefits that go beyond the classroom.

This initiative to benefit Diocesan Catholic Schools came about through a unique partnership with FIRST (For the Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology), the leading robotics competition in the world. The Diocese is an official partner in the program that engage all students from kindergarten through high school in exciting, mentor-based, research and robotics programs, which encourage students to become science and technology leaders, and well-rounded contributors to society.

Bishop Frank J. Dewane has backed the effort to introduce this new, comprehensive STREAM (science, technology, religion, engineering, arts and mathematics) initiative. The forward-thinking effort will enhance the existing STREAM curriculum of the 15 Diocesan schools, placing students ahead of the curve in primary fields while continuing to promote core Catholic virtues.

“This is an example of looking to the future and positioning our Diocesan schools, and more importantly, our students, for success,” Bishop Dewane said. “This program has a strong science, math and engineering component, but it enhances everything we are already doing that distinguishes Diocesan Catholic schools from others in the region.”

The commitment to the program is seen through the initial investment in equipment, fast-tracking the effort into all schools to ensure they are ready to start implementation for all students by the start of the 2021-2022 Academic Year.

“Every student going through Diocese of Venice Catholic schools from this point forward will have this curriculum and these activities as part of his/her regular experience,” Explained Father John Belmonte, SJ, Diocesan Superintendent of Catholic Education. “This program will be integrated into all aspects of education, not just the existing STREAM efforts in the schools.”

The Diocese is one of only 25 nationwide partners and is unique nationally in that the Diocese program includes a strong religious component, something Bishop Dewane stressed.

“We are not only teaching science and technology but building into this the basic foundations of Catholic Faith in action,” Father Belmonte said.

While FIRST robotics core values are discovery, innovation, impact, inclusion, teamwork and fun, the Diocese team created C.H.R.I.S.T. Gifts – Catholic Habits and Responses in School and Teams. These gifts are truth, beauty, goodness, humility, fortitude, prudence and affability.

“This is not as an add-on, but it enhances existing FIRST concepts to fit them into the Diocesan program,” Father Belmonte added. “We have aligned this program with the Florida Catholic Conference, creating a unique opportunity to teach children and teachers about Catholic virtues in education. Students will learn about these virtues both intellectually and in practice.”

Jennifer Falestiny, Diocesan Curriculum Specialist, who helped to facilitate the partnership between the Diocese and FIRST, said five pilot schools (which already have strong STREAM programs) will begin integrating the FIRST program for the final quarter of the 2021 Academic Year. The balance of all schools and teachers will be introduced to the project in June for implementation in the fall.

“This will be integrated in varying capacities into all schools by the fall, with full implementation within five years,” Falestiny said. “The FIRST program teaches students a new way of thinking that will be foundational when determining how to express their ideas. Students will develop their agility, knowledge and experience in the use of different technologies, preparing them for the future. This cultivates a group of innovative thinkers and problem solvers. This is a new way to learn in the context of Faith.”

In the classroom, students will be introduced to age-appropriate program kits which are the tools to teach the curriculum. These kits use LEGO products, such as Duplo blocks for the youngest students, and more traditional blocks for older students. Each progressive kit increases with difficulty and broadens the concepts learned in earlier years. By middle and high school levels, schools will be building competition robots.

The FIRST program is designed to be plugged into a school at any grade, Falestiny said. This means new participants, either in the first year of the initiative or new to Diocesan schools, will already have the foundational concepts that are appropriate for their grade level. “Once entered, they will catapult because they will have added enrichment and enhanced equipment, tools and activities.”

While robots are a major part of the FIRST program, it is just a tool that expands upon the idea of project-based learning and cognitive thought processes, helping to develop skills such as leadership, communication, complex problem solving, teamwork and creativity. All of this with an added dimension of Faith.

In the coming months, more information will be shared about the partnership between the Diocese of Venice Catholic Schools and FIRST.

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