Author: christina

Our incredible secondary students at St. Albert Learning Centre have spent the school year committed to a powerful project focused on supporting those experiencing homelessness. Their dedication earned them the Michael Monk Award – a true honour recognizing their heart and impact.

In February, their passion turned into action through the Meaning of Home Contest! Each entry raised $10 for our local Habitat for Humanity, and our students didn’t stop at one — they taught a lesson on empathy and housing security to Grades 4–6 students at St. David School and together submitted over 40 entries – raising more than $400!

Afterward, our secondary students showed thoughtful leadership as they carefully reviewed each Meaning of Home entry, engaging in meaningful discussions before casting their votes for the top submissions.

Then, they selected their favourites.

1st Place: Jera
2nd Place: Ivory
3rd Place: Jessie & Andrew (tie!)

Here’s a glimpse into the powerful reflections:

“A home helps you feel cared for, but a house you’ll just expect to survive.” – Jera
“My home is where I feel loved. I know I am loved because at home I hear the words ‘I love you.’” – Ivory
“Home is a place to make memories and fun traditions like food and clothes… a wonderful place where you can be different.” – Jessie

These young voices remind us how home is more than four walls — it’s love, safety, belonging, and memory.

A huge congratulations to our all of our students for using their voices to make a difference!

On February 26th, we had the privilege of celebrating the achievements of our Winter 2025 Personal Support Worker graduates at St. Albert Learning Centre. This incredible group of diverse learners has demonstrated resilience, dedication, and a true calling to serve others—whether returning to school after many years, embarking on a second career, or beginning a new life in Canada.  

At the heart of our celebration was the reminder that no matter our religious beliefs, the core values of compassion, kindness, and service unite us all. Becoming a PSW is not just a job—it is a vocation to care for the most vulnerable, to bring dignity to those in need, and to be a light in our community.

A special thank you goes out to our special guests: Bishop Thomas Dowd, Father Raymond (Church of Christ the King) and Superintendent Natasha Folino, for their presence and support. 

A special mention to our secondary student, Ryan, who was our official photographer capturing the joy and pride of this special day!  

Congratulations to our award recipients!  
Debora – Valedictorian
Alysa – Highest Academic Award  
Sister Justine – Highest Placement Average  
Joshua – Estelle Scappatura Perseverance Award  
Nikhil & Abidemi – Perfect Attendance Award  

A huge thank you to our dedicated clinical instructors Dawn-Marie (who has helped train over 400 PSWs in the past 13 years!), Olivia, and Lexis (volunteer) for their invaluable support in guiding our students to success.  

And finally, to our graduates—we are so proud of you! May you continue to serve with compassion, integrity, and faith as you embark on this meaningful journey. 

This Saturday, we celebrated our our 2nd Annual Black History Day celebration—a day dedicated to African heritage, language, and storytelling.

A heartfelt thank you to Mrs. Noch, Founder & Executive Director of Thriving African Families, whose exceptional leadership and organization made this event possible.

We were honoured to welcome our distinguished guests:

• High Chief (Dr.) Olusoji Ijidale – A respected elder and custodian of Yoruba traditions with over 31 years of experience in public health, dentistry, and leadership.

• Mazi Chidiebere Dickson Nwankwo – A revered Igbo elder from Abia State, Nigeria, with more than 20 years of leadership experience and a passion for cultural education and unity.

• Adetunji Akintonde – President of the Nigerian Community Association of Greater Sudbury and a dedicated advocate for community engagement and cultural preservation.

Our dedicated instructors enriched the celebration:

• Tolulope Kodaolu – A passionate Yoruba language educator from Abeokuta, Nigeria, who teaches at St. Albert Adult Learning Centre

• Marshal Ihechukwu – Committed to preserving the Igbo language and culture, he teaches at St. Albert Learning Centre, guiding families to embrace their Igbo identity.

A big thank you to all the parents for bringing your children every Saturday to help them connect with their heritage, culture, and language.

Last week, our PSW students explored the importance of honouring and respecting the diverse cultures of their future clients.

To mark the occasion of Chinese New Year, the principal led a meaningful activity that combined cultural awareness with career reflection.

Each student received a festive Chinese scratch fortune card, inspired by the Year of the Snake. In Chinese culture, the Snake symbolizes wisdom, adaptability, and transformation—qualities that resonate deeply with the role of a Personal Support Worker.

PSWs must be wise in their decision-making, adaptable to the unique needs of their clients, and always growing in their skills and understanding.

Students scratched their fortunes and reflected on how the messages connected to their PSW education or future careers.

Check out the photo of a few of our students posed with their fortunes alongside a training mannequin, adding a fun and creative element to the activity!

This hands-on experience was a great success—it celebrated cultural traditions, encouraged reflection on professional values, and fostered community among students.

What a wonderful way to tie cultural awareness to the skills needed for compassionate care!

CESBA is a provincial, non-profit professional association that represents, advocates for, and supports adult and continuing education staff working in over 60 school boards across Ontario. This conference brought together educators and administrators to share ideas, celebrate successes, and learn from one another.

At the conference, we were thrilled to hear from three of our amazing students—Faith, Joey, and Audrey—who shared their personal stories through powerful video testimonials. Their journeys were truly inspiring and highlighted the positive impact of education.

Our principal, Christina Raso, was also honored to speak at the event, where she gave two important presentations: one on the value of community partnerships in education and another on using social media to connect and grow.

A major highlight of the conference was the recognition of our Cleaner Program, which was featured in The Updater: The 2024 Revival Edition. This was a great opportunity to showcase the innovative work we’re doing to support students and provide hands-on learning that helps them succeed.

A big thank you to CESBA for 25 years of leadership in adult education. We’re proud to be part of this amazing community!

By popular demand, the Cleaner Program was delivered once again at St. Albert Learning Centre in 2024. We’re filled with gratitude as we celebrate the success of our Cleaner Program and the incredible journey of our students. We couldn’t be more proud of their hard work and the positive impact they’ve made. The cleaning and organization of Spark’s storage room was no small task—but they rose to the challenge, leaving it spotless and beautifully organized. As the CEO of Spark Employment Services, Chantal Maker, shared: “The cleaning done in our storage room was so needed and a big gift to us, just on time for Christmas. Sean and Adebimpe have been such a pleasure to have here with us!” 

We also want to extend a heartfelt thank you to Kelsi, our amazing cleaning instructor, for equipping our students with the skills they need to thrive in the workforce. We also want to thank the team at Sparks for providing support to our students and providing them with the opportunity to gain real-world experience.

Today, we extend our deepest gratitude to Deacon Rolly for blessing not just the 75 “blessing bags” created by our students, but also each and every one of us. His prayers and kind words filled us with a renewed sense of purpose and love as we continue this mission to serve others.

As part of our year-long religion credit initiative, our students have committed to monthly activities supporting the homeless in Sudbury. Thanks to the generosity of the Michael Monk award, these 75 blessing bags were carefully assembled with a warm hat, mitts, socks, and a $5 Tim Hortons gift card!

These small tokens of care are a way to share warmth and hope during the challenging winter months.

Deacon Rolly reminded us that, true blessings come from what we give with love and compassion. His blessing of the bags—and of all of us—reinforces our mission to bring Christ’s love and kindness to those who need it most.

To our students and educators, thank you for your hard work and dedication to this beautiful project. Together, we are spreading light, one blessing bag at a time.

Let’s continue this journey—each month, one act of love for our Sudbury community.

St. Albert’s students poured their hearts into planning and baking for the Christ the King Bake Sale. Their dedication, creativity, and hard work were evident in every delicious treat they crafted, showcasing the passion and commitment that are the hallmark of our school community. This event was a true reflection of our students’ exceptional spirit of giving and collaboration. We couldn’t be more proud of their remarkable efforts and the lasting, positive impact they’ve made in our community.

St. Albert Learning Centre received the Michael Monk Award and a $4,000 grant from the Catholic Education Foundation of Ontario! This award honours a Catholic secondary school that exemplifies excellence and innovation in student learning. St. Albert’s inspiring educational initiative, Strengthening Connections: Engaging At-Risk Youth through Community Outreach and Catholic Teachings reflects that mission by offering students the chance to earn a religious education credit through dedicated community service, transforming learning into meaningful action.