Serra Club hosts creativity contest to help students learn about vocations

By JULIE KEANE, Globe Staff Reporter
January 8, 2004

The Serra Club is helping children of the Sioux City Diocese learn about Catholic vocations through the annual creativity contest.

The Serra Club teams up with the Sioux City Diocese's Office of Vocations to host this contest during National Vocations Week, which is Jan. 11-17.

Serra Club member, Nancy Miller, commented that the creativity contest is one of the highlights of the year for the Serra Club and represents what the group is all about.

"I have worked on this for quite awhile," Miller said. "I think the creativity contest is drawing attention to what Catholic education can present to children and makes them aware of the value of a vocation and how it plays out in their life. I think that is very important because that is really the reason the Serra Club exists - to support vocations."

The Serra Club hosts this contest in hopes of inspiring children to enter into the vocations.

"We hope that this gives the students a little seed of thought for a vocation in their future," said Sharri Fitzpatrick, Serra Club member. "This is just to make them more aware of the choices and possibilities that are there for them."

Fitzpatrick also believes this creativity project is beneficial for the students because the projects help students become thankful for the vocations in the diocese.

"We also do this project to help the students appreciate the vocations that we do have," Fitzpatrick said. "One of their assignments is to send a thank you note to a priest or sister that has helped them in some way."

This year's theme for the creativity contest is "You Are My Beloved." All students that are participating in the project are given an assignment that correlates with this year's theme.

One of the more creative projects this year is for the sixth graders. The assignment is to create a magazine cover that promotes a vocation choice for priests, sisters and deacons.

The contest is for students in kindergarten through eight grade. Each grade levels assignments are sent out to Catholic schools and parish religious education programs.

At the school or religious education program, someone picks the best of each class and sends in the entry. A panel of three or four judges consisting of Serra Club members, priests and sister choose the best in each grade level.

The first place winner will receive $30 and dinner with Bishop DiNardo and their family.

For more information regarding the Serra Club's creativity contest contact the Office of Vocations at (712)233-0523.