Each week at Our Lady of Lourdes School brings new adventures, as we thank God each and every day for the blessings he has given to each of us and to the school. As one walks around Our Lady of Lourdes, it is amazing to think that less than a year ago, this was a school that was on the closure list. As of July 5, 2011, we had only 35 students registered, and less than a year later, the school is full of life as new students are pouring into the school. We are now at 115 students, and we are looking to start next year with 15o already!
Even the school building itself does not look the same, thanks to generous foundation support. Our current students are so proud of their school and love to show it to new families and others who visit. Many people thought bringing this school back to life was impossible, but it just goes to show that even the impossible is possible with God.
Last week was a monumental week for our school --- tough, but amazing --- with many meetings, new registrations, Mexican Mother’s Day and our May Crowning. We have also been preparing for our first dinner and auction May 18, which was a huge success. Many people are becoming interested in our school and what we are doing, which is a very good sign, as we continue building for the future.
Our students deserve nothing but the best and to feel that all of their dreams are attainable; we strongly believe that the foundation and confidence that we are helping them to build will lead them to God and His will for them. As we always tell them, they may be children today, but they will be leaders tomorrow.
Being at Our Lady of Lourdes every day is a true wake-up call for all of us. With about 90 percent of our students below the poverty line, the pride that they feel for their school warms our hearts. They look at our school as home and a place where they can be themselves, while trying to better their current situation.
As one student told me, he came to Lourdes to have a chance for a better life and to get himself out of a very bad situation. For us, this is the time when we can get through to them and help them navigate to where they want to be. We plant the seeds of Hope and Faith, so that when they need them most in their life, they can remember what must be done.
The greatest lesson that we have learned is the importance of planting seeds. It may take days, weeks or years for these seeds to take root, but we are doing what we can to make sure the soil is well taken care of and let God do the rest. We cannot foretell the future, but we firmly believe in what we are doing at Our Lady of Lourdes School for our students and know that we are preparing them for their future.
Cori Marasco is principal of Our Lady of Lourdes School, East Los Angeles. This article is excerpted from her blog, “The Adventures of a First-Year Principal” (see www.firstyearprincipal.org).
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