‘Perfect Together’

MORRISTOWN  Two different worlds came together on the campus of Villa Walsh Academy here — elementary school students from the city with high school seniors from the suburbs — for a field day late in May, consisting of games, activities and to celebrate a 15-year partnership.

The principals of the two schools, who are both Filippini sisters and birth sisters — Sister Patricia Pompa, principal of Villa Walsh Academy, an all-girls’ 7th to 12th grade school and Sister Jo-Ann Pompa, principal of St. Gerard School in Paterson, have joined each other’s school in a partnership they call, “Perfect Together.”

Sister Jo-Ann said, “Joy and excitement come together when both schools unite. For the past few years, the seniors have hosted our students to come to Villa Walsh for a special field day on their campus to enjoy a variety of games and activities, which are held in the school’s athletic center and on their beautiful sports fields.”

For a group of children from the city, outdoor space for play may be limited, which was shown by the excitement the children had as they ran across the fields. For the seniors at Villa Walsh, the field day was a volunteer effort among the students, who planned and organized the special day with games and activities.

Sister Patricia said, “It makes for a special day when the country embraces the city and it shows how two different cultures can certainly be one. Regardless of where the young people live or their socioeconomic status, they enjoy the same things and they are still all children of God.”

The partnership between the schools has truly shown how the students know no boundaries, according to the two principals. For almost 15 years, seniors at Villa Walsh Academy and students at St. Gerard School have partnered with one another to enrich each other’s lives. It began in 2005, when seniors in the Spanish Honor Society at Villa Walsh would spend the day teaching the students Spanish. That connection has continued at the two Filippini-run schools. The Villa Walsh students have invited the St. Gerard students to watch their spring musical through the years. At St. Gerard, prayer service days have been held with the celebration of Mass with Villa Walsh students attending.

“The Villa seniors have brought joyful service to St. Gerard students by bringing creative projects, activities and engaging in academic achievement,” Sister Jo-Ann said.

This has been the second year the seniors at Villa Walsh hosted the field day, which included games such as tug-o’-war, relay races, obstacles courses and other various activities both outdoors and indoors. They also enjoyed a picnic lunch together and snacks were provided by the seniors at Villa Walsh. “This was the girls’ decision with voluntary efforts to host the day. And if next year’s senior class hopes to invite the students from St. Gerard School once again, I’ll support and encourage them,” Sister Patricia said.

The St. Gerard School students returned to the city of Paterson filled with joy from their visit and the field day activities. “The parents of our school were so overjoyed when their children arrived home and told them all the fun, excitement and spirit that was given to them from the seniors at Villa Walsh. They are great role models,” Sister Jo-Ann said.

While the children at St. Gerard School get so much out of the experience, the students at Villa Walsh are just as gratified at the chance to give back to others and live out the mission of the school.

Sister Patricia said, “Our hope is to empower each young lady to reach out locally and globally. It is such a positive experience for our student volunteers. Sometimes they probably get more out of it than the young students. This whole partnership just puts a cap on it for the seniors that it’s not about your GPA but it’s what you bring to where you are in the world.”

The Villa Walsh seniors who graduated on June 2 gave Sister Jo-Ann a collage of photos from the field day with a note that said, “Some people come into our lives and leave footprints on our hearts. And we are never ever the same. Thank you, St. Gerard School for leaving footprints on our hearts.”