Serra kicks off Vocation Creativity Contest
By Tavia Malone, Globe staff writer
Posted January 10, 2002

Every year the Serra Club sponsors a contest for in conjunction with the Diocese of Sioux City to help promote vocations. The contest encourages grade school and middle school children to think about and promote vocations through posters, bumper stickers, letters and more. The yearly contest is underway with the 2002 year.

"We encourage students to think about what vocations they may want to look at," said Sherri Fitzpatrick, Serra Club member and contest organizer. Students help the Serra Club promote vocations through this contest, but also get a chance to look closer at vocations that may be right for them.

The contest is for students in grades K-8 and is held in parish religious education programs or Catholic schools. Students are given the contest guidelines and are asked to create their contest entry. Then one winner is chosen from each grade level in the school or parish. The finalists are submitted to the Office of Vocations in the Diocese of Sioux City and winners are chosen from there.

All of the topics give students a chance to think about vocations and how people in religious orders have helped them grow in their faith and life. For example, one of the topics asks students to show how priests, sisters, brothers and/or deacons have helped make the world a better place. Seventh and eighth grade students are asked to write short essays rather than draw.

Prizes are given to those who win in each category. First place winners are given $30 and are invited to a celebration dinner with Bishop Daniel N. DiNardo in May. They are also invited to an evening Mass at the Cathedral of the Epiphany in Sioux City. Second place winners are given $20 and third place winners are given $10. Certificates of participation are also given out to those students who are not top prize winners.

"Every year the contest gets bigger," said Fitzpatrick. "We get well thought out responses to the contest and get students thinking about religious life."

The main goal of the Serra Club is to promote and affirm religious vocations. The contests is just one of the ways that the Serra Club helps bring attention to vocations. The Sioux City Serra Club meets bi-monthly to pray, talk and hear presentations. "Anyone is welcome and encouraged to join," explained Fitzpatrick.

"The contest plants the seed for religious life as a vocation," she said.