Students build a library

By Ellie Hidalgo

Last January, when St. Matthias High School students in Downey made the library a school project, following a visit to a "Faith in Action" retreat at Notre Dame University.  Religion teacher Tricia Nutter organized the trip by a group of young women from St. Matthias, who reflected on what their faith means to them and how they might put that faith into action.

Nutter --- a student teacher through a special Notre Dame masters program, Alliance for Catholic Education, to send teachers into under-resources areas - had learned of the need for a library at Our Lady of Lourdes through another Alliance for Catholic Education student teacher working at the East L.A. elementary school.  The high school students jumped at the opportunity to make a difference.

"We just committed ourselves, even though it's a lot of work," said student Erika Cuellar.

"The goal was to get the whole community involved," added Nutter, 24.

To raise several thousand dollars for library books, students organized a basketball tournament and other fundraisers.  They sponsored a book drive.  Another ACE teacher ran the L.A. Marathon and donated the pledges he collected to the library.

Our Lady of Lourdes administration identified a classroom, used partially for storage, as the new library room.  After school, St. Matthias students spent weeks re-painting the entire room, including painting a mural of St. Bernadette talking to Our Lady of Lourdes.  They also alphabetized the new books and catalogues and entered them into a database.

"I had no idea building a library was so much work," quipped Nutter.

Altogether, some about 200 high school students contributed to the project.  Many students used up their service hours, "but they kept coming because they wanted to see it done," said Nutter.  " I liked being able to see them take enjoyment from doing a project like this and the leadership that came out of it."