Serving others plays an important role in a cadet's education.

"We are a Catholic institution and take great pride in that fact. Not only do students study the tenets of religion, Christianity and the Catholic faith, but also they practice it in both word and deed. The incredible service of our students to those in need is inspirational.” - Headmaster Thomas B. Mich, Ph.D.

“Service is a major part of who we are as a school community. It is grounded in our Catholic faith, which calls us to act justly and serve with love. The graduation requirement reflects the critical role service plays in preparing young men to go out into the world as imaginative, compassionate and caring leaders.

We challenge the boys emotionally, intellectually and spiritually to go beyond a superficial understanding of the people they come into contact with. We hope they come to recognize that each person is made in God’s image, which is a core principle of our faith. We challenge them to love as Christ loved. The experience of service can be an awakening for them.” - Service Coordinator Jane Doyle

Between the Senior Service Program, weekly Middle School trips to Sharing and Caring Hands, the events listed below, and multiple other service opportunities, the Cadets of Saint Thomas Academy provided more than 13,000 hours in service to communities around the world during the 2007-08 school year.

A few examples of the many ways students served during this past year:

• Out-of-uniform days raised almost $6,000 for various Twin Cities charities, including $1,397 during the Halloween fundraiser.

• The KEE Club, a student-run service group, organized a volunteer group of hundreds of cadets, faculty, staff and parents to work at Feed My Starving Children. This organization’s mission is to package and send nutritious meals to areas of need around the world. According to student leader Matt Miley '08, STA students continued their "winning streak against hunger," working to feed more than 400 children this year.

• Campus Ministry members worked with Bridging, Inc. to organize the second-largest furniture drive in the organization’s history. Bridging, Inc. is a non-profit organization that provides free household items to families in transition. During the three-day fundraiser, students, parents, faculty, staff, alumni and friends donated the equivalent of $46,000 in gently-used household items.

• The Theology department organized the annual Thanksgiving food drive. Enough food was collected to deliver 25 baskets to the children at Bush Center; each basket contained food for Thanksgiving dinner and the weekend for each child’s family. In addition to these food baskets, the generosity of the community also helped to restock the food shelves of the Franciscan Brothers of Peace, St. Paul location.

• School-wide participation in the annual Advent Giving Program provided Christmas presents for many people registered at Catholic Charities. The high school students and staff provided gifts and grocery money for 19 families. The middle school students and staff collected cash, gift cards, and 10 boxes of gifts, school supplies, hats and mitten. Faculty and staff also provided gifts for 20 women at the Grand Avenue Residence in Minneapolis.

• Campus Ministry members organized the third annual “Pay It Forward.” Two students from each class and two faculty/staff members were given $100 at the Thanksgiving Liturgy. The 14 participants used the money with the idea that the people they help will help someone else in return. Each participant discussed his/her implementation at Formation during Catholic Schools Week.

The program helped many local agencies as well as international endeavors, such as: Kiva micro-loans, Invisible Children, Heifer International, and COFHED (Christian Organization For Health, Education and Development) - an organization that assists impoverished Haitians at a grass-roots level to organize their communities in ways that enable them to help themselves.

• Hundreds of students, faculty, staff and parents assisted Bill Foussard ’72 and Barb Aslesen with their annual Meals On Wheels Thanksgiving dinner deliveries.

• For the 23rd year, Campus Ministers from STA and Cretin-Derham Hall hosted a Christmas party for children from St. Matthew’s Daycare; the children played games, had lunch and received presents from Santa.

• Again this year, the 12th graders purchased Christmas presents for the students of Risen Christ School in Minneapolis. Seniors spent the afternoon tutoring the grade schoolers and then hosted a Christmas party.

• A group of 12th graders traveled to St. Cloud with Assistant Headmaster Mike Byrne ’63 to help Bill Foussard ’72 with his annual Christmas Dinner for 425 senior citizens.

• The annual service trip to Guatemala provided students the opportunity to build a retaining wall around a church in San Lucas Toliman. Link to student postings and photographs.