Christian Spirit Award

What is The Christian Spirit Award?

For the past eight years, Jesuit Volunteers in Punta Gorda, Belize have organized and coordinated The Christian Spirit Award in our Toledo Catholic Schools network. The Christian Spirit Award (CSA), consists of a series of competitions throughout the academic year between all 30 Catholic primary schools in our district. The competition is split into two rounds. In the first round, Standard III (8-9 years old) and Standard IV (9-10 years old) compete by bringing biblical stories alive through essays, arts, poetry, and music. Standard VI (11-12 years old) students compete in a Religious Jeopardy based on the material in their religion textbook and classes. The CSA allows students in the Toledo District to display their artistic abilities, biblical knowledge, and religious education in hopes of enlivening each schools' Christian mission.

The Toledo Catholic Schools network includes 30 Catholic primary schools, 28 of them being in the villages. The district consists of an ethnic mixture of Garinagu, Creole, East Indian, Maya, and Mestizo.

Why do we do it?

To promote each school's sense of pride in their Christian mission
To aid teachers in presenting meaningful and dynamic religious education to students
To make religious education more creative and interactive for all students
To foster a more unified Christian identityamong Toledo's Catholic schools
To give youth an opportunity to have exposure to presenting in front of other people, places, and cultures (for some of the youth, it is their first time outside of their village)

In last year's Christian Spirit Award:

116 essays and poems were judged

58 students read their essays and poems to an audience

58 songs and art pieces were presented and judged

400+ students participated in Essay, Poetry, Art, Music, and Religious Jeopardy

2000+ people attended the Zone Competitions (students, teachers, community members, judges, etc.)

Why do we need your help?

This will be the eighth Annual Christian Spirit Award. Each year the competition has grown, This makes the CSA a huge undertaking. During the first and second rounds we hold six zone competitions throughout the district. The first place finishers from the zone competitions will then advance to the district finals in Punta Gorda Town.

The main expense for this competition is the cost of travel. As many families in the villages live off of the land, an expense like this can be a big burden. Because of this, we are trying to provide transportation and fundraise so that any youth who would like to participate and attend in the competition has the opportunity to do so.

Other expenses include:

School supplies

Certificates

Prizes

How far can my donation help?

$1 - Round trip travel for 1 student from one of the closest villages

$10 - Round trip travel for 1 student from the furthest village

or Round trip travel for 10 students from one of the closest villages

or A prize bag of school supplies for 1 classroom

$100 - A bus to transport about 80 students from a further village

or All of the certificates needed for the competition

$150 - A bus to transport about 80 students from the furthest village

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