Several times a year, 8th graders from Holy Spirit Catholic School in Grand Rapids visit with young friends from a neighborhood preschool. It’s an opportunity to practice being mentors beyond their school community and to share some fun with the younger children.
The visits are part of a partnership between Steepletown Neighborhood Services and Holy Spirit school & parish. Steepletown is an organization on the West Side of Grand Rapids which works to transform lives within the urban core communities of Greater Grand Rapids through education, workforce development, and community empowerment. Whether visiting at Steepletown or at Holy Spirit, Steepletown’s preschool director says the "big kids" provide the preschoolers one-on-one time with role models, encourage their social emotional skills, and help them feel special.
Other ways Holy Spirit supports Steepletown’s mission include holding food and donation drives for the preschool families at Thanksgiving, Christmas and Easter.
Read more about this special partnership on the Steepletown website at this link.