ESCANABA — Students at Holy Name Catholic School (HNCS) are celebrating 2018 National Catholic Schools Week this week with many special events and activities.

This year’s theme, “Catholic Schools: Learn. Serve. Lead. Succeed.” focuses on the value that a Catholic education provides to young people and its contributions to our church, our communities and our nation.

Eucharistic Adoration will highlighted the school day on Tuesday, Jan. 30. Parents were invited to come adore Jesus with their children in the school chapel. Also on Tuesday, HNCS students enjoyed wearing something homemade.

On Wednesday, Jan. 31, students enjoyed dressing like their hero or wearing a shirt with their hero on it. Students also enjoyed Crazy Olympics in the school gym, and students were treated to ice cream sundaes in the afternoon, courtesy of HNCS’s Home and School Association (Holy Name’s parent organization).

Today, Thursday, Feb. 1, students celebrated Mass together at 9 a.m. and wore their Sunday best to school. After Mass, students enjoyed participating in Entrepreneur Day in the school gym, where students used their talents to help the less fortunate. Classes made items to sell to their fellow students, with all monies raised going to Holy Name’s sister school in Honduras.

Throughout the week, Principal Joseph Carlson led students in jokes and trivia at lunch, and students are given Scripture verses to memorize by Friday for a prize.

On Friday, Feb. 2, to wrap up the school week, Holy Name students can wear their Holy Name Catholic School t-shirt for Spirit Day, and will enjoy a talent show at 2 p.m.

Finally, on Saturday evening, Feb. 3, Holy Name’s Home and School Association will sponsor a Family Night in Holy Name’s multi-purpose room and gym from 6 – 8 p.m. for Holy Name families to enjoy fellowship, games and pizza.

Catholic Schools Week has been celebrated annually since 1974, and always begins on the last Sunday in January. According to statistics from the National Catholic Educational Association (NCEA), approximately 2.1 million students are currently educated in nearly 6,500 Catholic schools in cities, suburbs, small towns and rural communities around the country. Students receive an education that prepares them for the challenges of higher education and a competitive work environment. An estimated 99 percent of Catholic school students graduate from high school, and 85 percent of Catholic school graduates attend college.

For more information on Holy Name Catholic School, please call the school at (906) 786-7550 or visit the school’s website: www.holynamecrusaders.com.