About this year’s recipient…

The Central City Project
A Program Sponsored by Allentown Central Catholic High School

The Central City Project (CCP) is Allentown Central Catholic High School's commitment to the City of Allentown. For over 80 years, ACCHS has had a vibrant Christian presence in Center City Allentown. As demographics have changed, a majority of ACCHS students no longer hail from the immediate community surrounding the school. The CCP is an opportunity for students from communities outside the city to interact with the local neighborhood's people, institutions, and events. In a particular way, the CCP desires to integrate the curriculum of the high school with hands-on learning. Specific projects augment the learning taking place in the classroom. This is accomplished in four distinct ways:

1. Through involvement in the Arts and Cultural opportunities that the city offers
   • During the 2010-11 school year:
   • Students from Mrs. Susan McDermott's Theater Arts class helped to usher and provide assistance for a children's show at Allentown Symphony Hall
   • Students from Mr. Gary Myles' AP American Government participated in the Allentown Council of Youth where they met with members of the Allentown City Council at ACCHS; students also participated in a Council of Youth forum with students from Dieruff and William Allen High Schools at the Allentown Public Library
   • Students from Mr. Sean Christ's sophomore Theology classes assisted with the 5th Street Park spring clean-up; this is part of an adopt-a-park program organized by the Friends of the Allentown Parks
   • Initial contact was made with the Allentown Art Museum and the America On Wheels museum for future collaboration
   • Future projects:
   • Continue to collaborate with Symphony Hall; especially with children's performances
   • Collaborate with the education department at the Allentown Art Museum upon the museum's reopening in the fall
   • Establish a relationship with the Lehigh Valley Historical Society, located on 4th Street and the Liberty Bell Shrine on Hamilton Street
2. Through mentoring both Catholic and public Elementary School Students
   • During the 2010-11 school year:
   
   • Approximately 20 students from Mr. Anthony Clifford's junior and senior English classes have been tutoring two days a week at the Boys and Girls Club at 6th and Green Streets in Allentown since March
   • Approximately 15 students from Mr. Edward Tabor's senior AP Literature classes have been assisting with the Homework Club at St. John Vianney Regional Elementary School one day a week since March
   • Students from Mrs. Jane O'Neill's Honors Chemistry classes attended a Brain Safety Course at Good Shepherd Rehabilitation Hospital in Allentown; the students in turn will present a workshop for local grade school students
   • Future projects:
   • Create an academic mentoring program with students from Sacred Heart Regional School
   • Assist with establishing a "Youth Council" (an established Allentown city youth group) based at ACCHS for students from Sacred Heart, Sheridan, Harrison Morton, and Central elementary schools
3. Through engagement in various aspects of Social Outreach with the local residents
   • During the 2010-11 school year:
   • Students from Ms. Kathleen Closkey's senior theology classes organized a "Snack and Shop" where they collected clothing, toys, and food and distributed them to local residents at the former Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church on March 10th, 2011
   • Students from two of Mr. Ian Buterbaugh's junior theology classes organized a "street outreach" where they made sandwiches and distributed them to children and their parents after school in downtown Allentown
   • Students from Mrs. Mary Ellen Strohl's freshmen theology class collected baby supplies and delivered them to student mothers in the ELECT program at Dieruff and William Allen High Schools on May 17th and 19th
   • Students from Mr. Gary Myles' AP American Government classes helped to organize and facilitate a "Community Expo" held at Rockne Hall on May 21st for residents of Jordan Heights; the event featured displays by family and youth-related organizations from the local community; students helped with providing music and entertainment for the children
   • Students from Dr. Charles Strasbaugh's junior Theology classes organized and prepared an urban garden located in the back of the former church of Our Lady of Mount Carmel; students planted seeds and tended to them in the ACCHS library; the plants were transplanted on May 17th; the vegetables from the garden will go to the Ecumenical Soup Kitchen located at Our Lady of Mount Carmel; Mr. Anthony Clifford plans on making and marketing a "Viking Salsa" and "Viking Tomato Sauce" whereby the proceeds would go back into the urban garden project
   • Future projects:
   • Conduct "Snack and Shops" and "street outreaches" on a more regular basis
   • Continue to monitor the on-going urban garden project
4. Through improving the internal and physical well being of ACCHS itself, so the high school may continue to prosper in the City of Allentown
   • During the 2010-11 school year:
   • Initial contact was made with Central's oldest alumnus Dorothy Koller, Class of 1931, now a resident of Phoebe Home
   • Future projects:
   • An "Introduction to Archiving and Organizing Ephemera" minor course is planned for the 2011-12 school year; this class will organize the school's archives and digitize some of the material for easier online access
   • The Creative Writing minor course plans to conduct oral interviews with alumni who are residing at the Phoebe Home
   • Students will help to develop and update ACCHS's social media outlets (i.e. Facebook)

Over the course of a four-year career at Central Catholic, each student will ultimately participate in all four areas of community interaction, potentially amassing over 80 hours of service to and interaction with the City of Allentown.

For all information about STM Summer Theatre Magic, contact Natalie,
at 610-433-7413, Ext. 18