Serra announces winners of contest
STRIVES TO RAISE AWARENESS ABOUT VOCATIONS

By KATIE LEFEBVRE, Globe staff reporter
April 14, 2005

The winners are in for the Vocations Creativity Contest. The Serra Club of Siouxland along with the Diocese of Sioux City's Vocations Office once again sponsored the contest that began during National Vocations Awareness Week in January.

The theme of the contest is taken from the national theme of vocations awareness week. This year's theme was "Called for the Victory of Justice." Each grade level was given an assignment that correlated with the theme.

"Every year they pick a different theme to focus on vocations and why the children should think about vocations as a possibility for the future," said Sharri Fitzpatrick, a Serra Club member.

The contest is for students in kindergarten through eighth grade. Each grade levels assignments are sent out to Catholic schools and parish religious education programs for those that opt to take part. At the school or religious education program, someone picks the best of each class and sends in the entry.

There were 243 entries this year so the judges had several to choose from. The entries came from 15 of the 21 Catholic schools and 15 religious education programs.

The winners of first, second and third place were decided by five judges, four Serrans and one priest.

"We are really happy to work with the Vocations Office. It seems like we get positive responses from the teachers, so hopefully it is a valuable contest," said Fitzpatrick. "As always, picking the winners was very difficult. The students are so bright and creative. It's really amazing the great entries we get. There are so many good ones."

Fitzpatrick along with Nancy Miller, another Serran, are the co-chairs of the contest. According to Fitzpatrick, the contest went really well this year.

"It hopefully encourages the children and the teachers to talk about possibilities of a calling to the priesthood or religious life as a sister, nun or deacon," said Fitzpatrick. "We are hoping that kind of gets the dialogue going. It gives them something interesting to do during Vocations Awareness Week."

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

The students who received first place are awarded $30 along with a celebration dinner for the winner and their family. The second place winners receive $20 and a congratulatory letter. The third place winners are awarded $10 and a congratulatory letter.

"They are the future of the church," said Fitzpatrick. "We are all called to holiness. It helps them decide on how they will respond to the call. Hopefully some vocations will spread to leadership in the next generation."

The kindergarten winners include first place Anna Sealy, daughter of Patrick and Kim Sealy, Holy Cross School, Sioux City; second place Madi Vosika, daughter of Mark and Heidi Vosika, Pocahontas Catholic, Pocahontas; and third place Kate Jackson, daughter of Brian and Mary Jackson, Emmetsburg Catholic, Emmetsburg.

The first grade winners include first place Caitlin Eckerman, daughter of Rose Pickhinke, St. Mary's, Storm Lake; second place Ben Dotzler, son of Cindy and Dan Dotzler, St. Rose of Lima School, Denison; and third place Ashley Durland, daughter of Ron and Diane Durland, Holy Cross School, Sioux City.

The second grade winners include first place Josef Rogers, son of Greg and Marty Rogers, St. Rose of Lima School, Denison; second place Allison Portz, daughter of Randy and Karen Portz, St. Catherine-St. Mary's Remsen; and third place Carli Bollin, daughter of Dennis and Patti Bollin, Gehlen Catholic, Le Mars.

The third grade winners include first place Hannah Sitzmann, daughter of Jay and Christy Sitzmann, St. Mary's, Storm Lake; second place winner Rachel Ruddy, daughter of Coleen and Doug Ruddy, Emmetsburg Catholic, Emmetsburg; and third place Alex Keime, son of Terry and Julie Keime, Sacred Heart School, Sioux City.

The fourth grade winners include first place Carissa Brown, daughter of Annette and David Brown, Sacred Heart School, Boone; second place Maggie Schroeder daughter of Daniel and Julia Schroeder, Spalding Catholic, Granville; and third place Isolda Gonzalez, daughter of Adrian and Patricia Villa, St. Edmond Elementary, Fort Dodge.

The fifth grade winners include first place Christie Lanphier, daughter of Charlie and Linda Lanphier, Holy Cross School, Sioux City; second place Mitchell Rahm, son of Noel and Kelly Rahm, Seton Grade School, Algona; and third place Megan Frauendorfer, daughter of Keith and Julie Frauendorfer, Mater Dei School, Sioux City.

The sixth grade winners include first place Victor Paz, son of Adrian and Martha Paz, St. Rose of Lima School, Denison; second place winner Kara Martin, daughter of Jim and Cathy Martin, Mater Dei School, Sioux City; and third place Brittany Jaminet, daughter of Karen and Mike Jaminet, Gehlen Catholic, Le Mars.

The seventh grade winners include first place Maggie Swift, daughter of Bill and Barb Swift, Emmetsburg Catholic, Emmetsburg; second place Alex Jinkinson, son of John and Julie Jinkinson, St. Patrick's School, Sheldon; and third place Michael Ivey, son of Troy and Grace Ivey, St. Mary's School, Storm Lake.

The eighth grade winners include first place Janell Darwin, daughter of Bill and Julie Darwin, Sacred Heart School, Sioux City; second place Becca Fischer, daughter of Doug and Janelle Fischer, St. Patrick's School, Sheldon; and third place Kayla Herbers, daughter of Paul and Myrna Herbers of Ayrshire, Emmetsburg Catholic, Emmetsburg.