by Joe Bollig
joe.bollig@theleaven.org
KANSAS CITY, Kan. — The dreams and deeds of four youths were recognized at a banquet held Sept. 8 and hosted by the Knights and Ladies of Peter Claver.
The youths were honored at the fourth annual “God’s Servants: Meeting the Challenge” event at the Jack Reardon Convention Center in Kansas City, Kan. The banquet took place on the eve of the feast day of St. Peter Claver. Approximately 125 people attended.
The sponsoring organization, the Kansas City Metro Knights and Ladies of Peter Claver, consists of three Knights’ councils and three Ladies Auxiliary courts from St. Monica Parish and St. Louis Parish in Kansas City, Mo., and Our Lady and St. Rose/ Blessed Sacrament Parish in Kansas City, Kan.
“We began this [recognition banquet] because we wanted to provide scholarships to the youths affiliated with our three parishes,” said Barbara Bailey, Grand Lady of Court 61 in Kansas City, Kan.
The Knights and Ladies have honored between four and eight youths at service recognition banquets each of the past four years. This year, $2,100 was awarded to four students, with the money going to education-related expenditures.
“The youths are required to do 26 hours of service work and, after doing this, they have to write about it,” said Bailey.
The essays are sent to a three-person panel of judges, who then rank the essays. The judges were: Father Roger Schmit, OSB, in residence at Christ the King Parish in Kansas City, Kan.; Sister Mary Rachel Flynn, coordi- nator of math and tutoring at Cristo
Rey School in Kansas City, Mo.; and Cathy Fithian, principal of Christ the King School.
The winners this year were:
• Camille Alexander, a member of St. Louis Parish.
• Michaela Curls-Scott, a member of St. Monica Parish.
• Deonna Thibeaux, a member of St. Louis Parish.
• Flora Nyakatura, a member of Our Lady and St. Rose/Blessed Sacrament Parish.
To be eligible to participate, the youths must be practicing Catholics registered in a local parish and a resident of the Greater Kansas City metropolitan area. They must also establish a sponsor relationship with a council or court, submit academic reports, and be between 14 and 21 years old.
