“Education is a good that nothing can deprive us of.”
Menander
The 2009/2010 school year has come to an end! On Saturday morning, May 22, during the end-of-school-year ceremony at St. Peter’s Church. At St. Rosalie High School, this year’s high school graduates handed over the school’s banner to their successors and said goodbye to their younger colleagues.
In the evening of that day, there was a banquet dedicated to this year’s 15 graduates, their parents, who for more than a dozen years have persistently brought their children to the Polish school, and the teachers who have tried to
How to most effectively instill in them a love for Poland, teach them the Polish language, history and traditions. The beautiful evening attire of the young people, the proud faces of the parents, the smiles on the faces of the educators reflected the atmosphere of mutual kindness and the bond uniting all those who are working to ensure that the school continues its work for the next generations of Polish youth.
After dinner and wonderful homemade desserts, the assembled parents and guests, (among whom were former members of the school board, ZNP & KPA representative Mrs. Irena Hercik, the president of the Polish Teachers Association in America, Mrs. Ewa Koch and her spouse, and Father Bogdan, pastor of St. Rozalia Parish) had the opportunity to watch a charming, entertaining performance prepared by the graduating class under the watchful eye of Mrs. Zofia Biernadska. As an added attraction, there were dance performances by two high school graduating couples, Jennifer Urban and Michal Mistarz and Patrycja Radon and Gaston Gelgado.
The highlight of the evening was the presentation of graduation certificates to the students of the Polish High School named after Gen. K. Pulaski, commemorative medals, and Baccalaureate Memoirs. The graduates thanked their emotional and proud parents and teachers by presenting them with beautiful red roses.
There were speeches and congratulations from the school’s headmaster Ms. Ewa Wejda, board president Ms. Agata Wozny and ZNP president Ms. Ewa Koch. The students gave a particularly warm farewell to their tutor, Ms. Lucia Szeliga, who was touched by so much sympathy and gratitude flowing from both her pupils and their parents. It is thanks to such ties and friendships that the school has existed for almost 60 years and will soon celebrate its anniversary.
The next day, Sunday, May 23, a solemn Mass was held at Our Lady of the Angels Church in Chicago. Graduation, in which 31 schools from the Chicago metropolitan area participated. The organizer of this important and what a beautiful ceremony has been the Polish Teachers Association of America for years. Graduates of Polish Saturday schools, including graduates of our school, received Diplomas from the hands of the Consul General of the Republic of Poland in Chicago, Mr. Zygmunt Matynia,
As well as the president of ZNP Ms. Ewa Koch.
Only souvenir photos, hugs, wishes for a wonderful vacation and it was time to say goodbye to colleagues, friends and the Polish school. Hopefully, our this year’s graduates will return to us if only to take a look
to his younger siblings, to say good morning to his mistress, and, years later, to bring him to the St. Thomas School. Gen K. Pulaski’s own children.
Alicja Kuklinska
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