Once again, Saint Edward the Confessor School was acknowledged as the number one elementary school in the United States in helping Catholic Relief Services with its efforts to touch a hungry world. This year Saint Edward's "Students and Teachers Against Hunger" Program raised more than $4,000 to help feed children in need of food.

The goals of the "Students and Teachers Against Hunger" Programs are threefold¬to increase awareness and to educate students about hunger; to alleviate hunger on the local level; and to provide nourishment to hungry children on the international level.

In order to educate the school's students about hunger, religion teacher Margaret Mannino showed the children several videotapes focusing on the problem of world hunger. These videotapes, provided by Catholic Relief Services and World Vision, helped to sensitize the students to the plight of nearly 800 million persons living in absolute poverty around the world.

Another means of increasing awareness was through the students' participation in the 10th Annual "Stop World Hunger" World Food Day Essay Contest. This year's topic was "How Can We Prevent World Hunger?" Students were encouraged to critically examine the problem of world hunger and to offer positive solutions in order to remedy the situation.

According to fifth-grade student Nicholas Herrmann, "The biggest thing that someone my age can do is to give...but giving is not enough. ... We have to think what it would be like to live without food, water and clothing so that we have a better understanding and become more considerate and helpful to the poor of the world."

Another fifth-grader, Jennifer Heinemann, wrote: "There are thousands of people who go to bed hungry every night and we can do something about it. ...The next time you are watching television, think what you could be doing for the hungry instead."

Students in Saint Edward the Confessor School and Saint Edward the Confessor Religious Education Program were encouraged to support a variety of anti-hunger programs on the local level. In particular, students were encouraged to participate in the parish's holiday food drives. This food is used by Saint Edward's Parish Social Ministry to bring dignity and respect to those in need on the local level. In addition, students were encouraged to contribute food on an ongoing basis throughout the year by depositing canned goods in the church's food bins when attending Sunday Mass.

Finally, the students participated in a number of projects to alleviate hunger on the international level. While charity may begin at home, it doesn't end there¬not when more than 10 million children die from hunger-related causes each year. Students were challenged to look beyond their communities to help others.

Funds were raised to aid hungry children in more than 80 countries. Assistance was provided based upon need, regardless of race, religion or nationality.

The major fund raising was Saint Edward's Annual Lenten "Homework Against Hunger" Project. This year 90 participants from Saint Edward's School and Saint Edward's Religious Education Program raised a total of $2,136.88. These funds were raised by getting sponsors to pledge funds for every hour the participants read, studied and did their homework.

Funds were also raised through a comprehensive recycling project. Bottles and cans were recycled from the school cafeteria and faculty lunchroom by Mrs. Fazio, Bob Schief and the teachers and lunch mothers on cafeteria duty. This project benefits the local community by reducing waste and generating funds to help those in need.

This year's Penny Power/Change for the World Drive collected more than 200 pounds of pennies and other change. Students collected these funds in their school and religious education classes. In addition, Frank Maiello, director of youth ministry, and his charges made a substantial donation. The final total was another $1,048.48.

"While we're pleased with our efforts at Saint Edward's, a great deal remains to be done," said St. Edward's teacher Matt Swift. "In a world of plenty, it is a disgrace that one child, let alone 10 million, should die of hunger-related causes. Hunger is preventable. If we feed the hungry and love our neighbors as we're supposed to, we can create a world without hunger for all of God's children."