Teen honored for service hours

How do you reward a high school freshman who donated more than 300 hours of her own time to school, parish and community service projects?

That was the question that confronted Jane Hall, campus minister at Notre Dame Academy in Green Bay, when she reviewed the service Katie Vincent had performed during the 2000-01 school year.

The answer came from Manitowoc. Silver Lake College's Office of Admissions and Departments of Religious Studies and Philosophy have begun a recognition award for high school students "consistently" involved in services to their parishes.

Hall nominated the freshman for the Silver Lake award because she wanted to "keep the spark alive in her. I want to do whatever I can to keep her energized. She'll be a good role model."

Vincent received a letter and a Christian Witness pin from the college. Her name also will be inscribed on a Catholic students' recognition plaque kept at Silver Lake.

"I was dumbfounded how often this kid brought in service hours," said the campus minister, who directs Notre Dame's service program. "Almost on a weekly basis she did eight hours here, ten hours here, four hours here.... Usually, I get juniors and seniors that do that kind of stuff, not a freshman."

Hall called Vincent's drive to "reach out to others phenomenal. It's like she can't get enough. She just wants to do something to make it better for someone else.... She actually had to go out of her way to help out."

Vincent said her volunteer work is her way to give back for being "as lucky and as fortunate as I have been for the good environment and good school" she has.

She said she couldn't have done it without the support of her parents, Mike and Doris Vincent. "I'm really thankful for that because Mom and Dad have been behind me every step of the way."

Many times, Vincent said, her involvement comes about because of her parents' jobs. Her father is director of religious education at Ss. Peter & Paul Parish. Her mother works with the religious education program at St. John the Evangelist and St. Francis Xavier Cathedral parishes.

Because she and her father share an interest in cooking, some of their volunteering has included that activity.

Vincent also said that she volunteers because she is not involved in sports. "I figured rather than sitting at home and doing nothing I can go out in the community and help out with things. I never thought of it as going a step farther than anyone else. I just thought of it as a constructive way of using my time."

There are times when she doesn't want to help, she said, but her parents have stepped in and said they thought she would have a good time if she came along.

For Vincent, volunteering is an expression of her faith. "My faith has been a big part of my life. Going to church every Sunday is second nature. I don't think twice about it. I love doing it." The Gospel and readings "mean so much to me. This is what I want to do. This is how I want to give back."

Hall said Notre Dame does not require its students to perform community service as some schools do. It emphasizes involvement as a Gospel value, as a means to "avenues" students wouldn't "expect to open for them" and as a requirement for college admission.

Last year, Notre Dame students performed more than 19,000 hours of service. Juniors and seniors did 13,000; freshmen and sophomores, 6,000.