National workshop moves CM leaders to take action

Three CM student leaders spent last weekend in Plymouth, Michigan with Student Council advisor Mr. Murray as part of the Annual Edmund Rice Schools “Action Workshop.”

Three seniors—Mike Giovanucci, Steve Sullivan, and James Myers—spent the weekend as members of the annual student-run thinktank that generates ideas on leadership formation at Edmund Rice Schools conducted by the Congregation of Christian Brothers. They met with high school students from around the country, participated in leadership exercises, made presentations about their schools’ best leadership practices, and took lots of notes. To conclude the three-day workshop’s events, students from all Edmund Rice Schools worshiped together in a closing mass.

Mike Giovanucci, who plays hockey and lacrosse and is a member of the forensics team, said the highlight for the weekend for him was meeting students from such a variety of backgrounds. “It was funny how all the things we do in Massachusetts, kids did in other parts of the country,” he said. “You sat with other kids at each meal—and made a lot of friends...one of the Brothers there reminded us to share the experiences we had.”

Along with formation as leaders, the students acquired new-found insights into the founder of the Christian Brothers, Edmund Rice, whose charism the Christian Brothers hope continues in schools like CM, where the number of Brothers is significantly less than in the past. “I didn’t know that Edmund’s wife had passed away at a very young age and that he had a mentally handicapped child,” Giovanucci said. “He had to deal with that along with the constant struggle of teaching young boys in Ireland.”

Senior Steve Sullivan, who is active in Campus Ministry and the Student Council at CM, said he took away a lot of ideas from other school leaders at Christian Brothers schools nationwide. “I got some great ideas,” Sullivan said. Having ‘Mission Wars’ with a rival school, and creating the Edmund Rice Games—kind of an Olympic Day with people who win our Olympic Day events against Hendricken or other [schools]. It was a great experience, learning about all the different ways that we can help.”