We are now entering into the final stretch of the year, with the holiday season already upon us. As we celebrate the Advent season, the Mount Carmel community encourages students to show their generosity through the annual Advent Action program.

The Advent Action Program is a 3-part program, stretching from the weeks prior to Thanksgiving to the Christmas season. “The purpose of this program is to inspire our community to give back to people in need,” stated Mr. Sean Sweaty, Director of Student Activities.

It begins with the Thanksgiving canned food drive, in which each student is asked to bring in at least six cans. Once the cans are collected, they are sent to Morgan Park Food Pantry to help families in need.

The goal this year was to bring in 3,600 cans among the entire school. We actually surpassed that goal, bringing in more than 3,700 cans during the 2-week drive.

Each year, the studium with the most cans brought in receives the opportunity to help load the cans into the buses and then deliver them to the food pantry. This year, Mr. McGuire’s studium 004 earned that honor, with 518 cans among the group.

“Mr. McGuire really pushed us to get those cans in this year,” noted junior Parker Sidenstricker, member of Stadium 004.

The second part of Advent Action asks each student and faculty member to bring in at least one toy. These toys are then packed up and brought to St. Bernard’s Children’s Hospital. The toy drive ends on December 15, so students still have time if they have not yet brought anything in.

Lastly, Advent Action encourages students to make an extra donation to the mission collection, which is taken up each day Studium meets. Studiums are also able to choose a charity to receive their donations.  Sweany notes that sStudiums that choose a charity usually have a more successful mission collection during this time.

“Successful studiums try to find ways to show the effect” of their charity, claimed Sweany. Showing students where their money is going enables them to understand why donating truly matters.

Sweany also noted that the program has changed throughout the years. “It’s slowly moving to be more student driven than adult driven.” Students themselves are doing more of the work when it comes to encouraging other students to participate and bring in the necessary cans, toys, or money.