Part of our Mission Statement at HTS reads: “Service to others is an ongoing commitment of our students and staff.” Over the course of the year, many of our teachers and students have undertaken projects and activities within the classroom to support this commitment and to “live it” within our community.

Elementary and Middle School Grades contributed funds to:

• provide relief for the victims of the Haitian earthquake
• provide research funds for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital by participating in their Math-a-Thon . (Since 1986, Holy Trinity School has raised more than $118,000 for St. Jude’s.)
• support the Holy Childhood Association
• support the following organizations by participating in Tag Days: Cystic Fibrosis, Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, Westfield Rescue Squad, Emmanuel Cancer Foundation, Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, Kenya Mission, National Foundation of Cancer Research, American Parkinson’s Society, diabetes research, and a Boy Scout Eagle project.

Individual classes have:

• written letters and made cards for the elderly and homebound
• written letters to pen pals from other schools
• contributed money to the missions by giving up their snacks or doing chores
• guided 4-year-old children on a library visit and in a student centered activity
• collected mission money
• mentored kindergarten buddies in holiday and student-centered activities
• made holiday cards and purchased gifts for “adopted” underprivileged families
• conducted a “secret ministry” in school
• bought materials and made goody bags for the poor at St. Joseph’s Parish in Elizabeth
• raised the funds to plan and execute a shopping trip that donated more than $1,000 in groceries to restock the Holy Trinity Parish food pantry
• collected “pennies for cancer” for Garwood VFW
• sent Mass and sympathy cards to bereaved
• collected clothing for the poor
• made cards for our veterans
• donated $100 to Covenant House
• handcrafted Christmas and Easter cards, and end-of-the-year gifts for their first grade “buddies”

Early Education Classes

• collected shoes and school supplies for the FIAT El Salvador Mission through Villanova University Campus Ministry
• hosted a breakfast which honored local veterans
• donated food to the Thanksgiving food drive at OLL in honor of Sr. Maureen on Principal’s Day
• collected for parish families in need at Christmas
• made bag lunches with 3rd-grade buddies and donated them to St. Joseph’s Kitchen in Elizabeth
• collected Thanksgiving turkeys, Christmas toys and books for summer reading for the students at La Casa de Don Pedro, Newark.

Individual classes have:

• made gifts for retired Sisters of Mercy at McAuley Hall, Watchung
• sent thank-you cards to servicemen and women
• read 50 books to meet Scholastic Books’ challenge in support of military families
• assisted the Meals on Wheels program by making favors and writing notes to be included in deliveries