LaredoBuzz.Com

Courtesy Xochitl Mora

Earlier this year, Catholic schools across the county celebrated Catholic Schools Week. One of the activities was participation in the national Catholic organization, Holy Cross Family Ministries’ annual art contest, open to all Catholic schools students from kindergarten to 12th grade. This year’s 1st Place winner for kindergarten students was Laredoan Joe Garcia, IV, a 5-year old at St. Peter’s Memorial School.

“We are indeed proud of Joey,” said Dr. Linda Mitchell, principal for St. Peter’s. “He is an exemplary and excellent student. He makes St. Peter’s proud and Laredo proud.”

This year’s art theme asked contestants to draw a picture depicting the gifts the Holy Spirit has given them. Garcia’s artwork depicted a picturesque landscape, complete with an apple tree, a bush, a dog, people, a house, birds, the sun, and a brilliant cross shining down on everything, as well as his words describing the gifts he has received from the Holy Spirit: family, home, love, nature, animals. The work is in crayon, on an 8 1/2” x 11” ivory construction paper.

“I feel very close to God when I go to church and when I pray with my family,” said the budding young artist. “I wanted to draw what I had been learning about God and how he made the whole world,” Garcia concluded.

Garcia received a $100 cash prize; St. Peter’s Memorial School also received a $200 gift prize for sponsoring the contest in the school and boasting the winner.

St. Peter’s Memorial School is one of the oldest Catholic schools in Laredo. First established in 1925, the school was run under the auspices of the Ursuline Sisters until 1968, and then the Salesian Sisters of St. John Bosco. Now part of the Catholic Diocese of Laredo, the school offers classes from level K3 through 8th grade and typically serves approximately 150 students each