When one thinks of school, some things that come to mind are pencils, math problems, spelling bees, and book reports. All of that is true for Assumption Catholic Elementary School in Perth Amboy, NJ with some extras. On Friday afternoon, May 16, our Pastor, Father Roman Dubitsky, dedicated and blessed our new pond/Monarch butterfly sanctuary. Present for the dedication were the city’s mayor-elect Mrs. Wilda Diaz, Mr. Richard Hills – a representative of the Middlesex County Division of Solid Waste Management, and Ms. Liska and Ms. Crews – representatives of the Royal Garden Club of Perth Amboy. The entire student body sang hymns to the Blessed Virgin Mary. The three-tier pond-ecosystem will be a reminder for the students to be “Stewards of God’s Earth” not only on Earth Day, but every day of the year. The project was made possible by the hard work of the fourth grade teacher, Mrs. Rizkallah and a generous grant from the Middlesex County Division of Solid Waste Management.

Later that same afternoon the school body walked over to church to sing a Moleben/Marian Veneration. The students presented flowers to the Virgin Mary, and several girls were inducted into the Sodality. The beautiful and uplifting service was prepared by Sr. Yosaphata, Sr. Maria, and Mrs. Lisa Rosato.

On Saturday, May 17, the ACS Track Team gathered at Bishop Ahr High School athletic field to compete in the Central Jersey Catholic Schools Individual Championships. The competition was rigid, but the previous five meets prepared our team well. Our 32 student-athletes battled heroically and brought home 7 medals. Team coach Mrs. Donna Tartza and the entire school is extremely proud of all our track and field athletes.

The following day, Sunday, May 18, our upper-grade Ukrainian Dance Group brought pride once again to our school. The dancers represented the school and Ukrainian-Americans at a Heritage Festival sponsored by the Township of Union, NJ in celebration of their bicentennial. Even though it rained throughout the day, when it came time for our dancers to perform, the clouds rolled back, the sun shone brightly, and our dancers were the hit of the show. If you missed it, check the TV listings and maybe Channel 34 will have a replay of their performance.

So, not only do we study and play hard during the week, but our weekends are filled with activities as well!