ACUE donor appreciation luncheon spreads joy through the mission of Catholic schools

Bella Bailey

Multimedia Correspondent

The Alliance for Catholic Urban Education (ACUE) hosted its annual donor appreciation luncheon, April 23, at Holy Cross Elementary School, Covington, one of the five urban grade schools served by ACUE. The luncheon brought together donors to see first-hand the impact of their donations on the lives of students.

ACUE’s mission is to provide children in urban, inner-city areas, access to Catholic schooling, where they will learn more than just math, science and reading, but they will learn the love of God, and the role of faith in each of their lives.

Superintendent for Catholic schools, Kendra McGuire, spoke to the donors gathered, and the students who sat with them, saying “your ACUE support helps our families in our urban areas give one of the greatest gifts to their children, a strong, faith-filled, Catholic education. Your support helps to keep the tuition affordable, allowing families to pay the tuition they can afford, while also supporting their families.”

Bishop John Iffert echoed the sentiment of Mrs. McGuire, in support of the ACUE mission to keep Catholic education accessible. Referencing one of Pope Leo XIV’s earliest apostolic letters, <<Drawing New Maps of Hope>>, Bishop Iffert said, “whenever access to education remains a privilege, the Church must push open doors and create new pathways. Because, to lose the poor is to lose the very meaning of the school. If the poorest among us do not have access to Catholic education, we lose the meaning of our Catholic School.”

“To educate is an act of hope,” he said. “Education is not merely the transmission of content, but an apprenticeship in virtue. It forms citizens capable of serving and believers capable of bearing witness.”

Two ACUE school graduates and current students at Holy Cross District High School, Aubrey Schoettle and Kyndall Ruebusch, were invited to speak at the ACUE appreciation luncheon. Ms. Schoettle recalled her experience at the former Holy Family Elementary School, Covington, when, thanks to donations from ACUE supporters, they were able to purchase new technology for students.

“The donations from everyone here … it really mattered a lot; our technology was increased. We were able to learn a lot more. I felt more confident in my studying, I felt more confident in everything that I was doing. It definitely shaped me to come here to Holy Cross, and helped me be prepared,” said Ms. Schoettle.

Ms. Ruebusch praised the small class sizes at her ACUE elementary school, St. Anthony, Taylor Mill. “I had a lot of one-on-one time with teachers. They got to know who I was as a person and also what I struggled with in school, and how to help me better my education.”

As a way of thanks for their support, K-5 students performed an array of songs for the donors. Each with accompanying hand movements to match the lyrics of the song. Donors watched on, with bright smiles and warmed hearts, reaffirmed in the mission of ACUE schools, to provide every student an opportunity to attend Catholic school.

“Every child who enters our ACUE schools will also be taught about Jesus. They will learn how God created them for a purpose and they are loved in our schools,” said Mrs. McGuire.