Volusia Catholic Schools Honored at Light of Faith Awards Ceremony

Four Catholic Schools in Volusia County were honored on May 1st at the Diocese of Orlando's 5th Annual  Light of Faith Awards Ceremony.  Father Lopez Catholic High School, Sacred Heart Catholic School, St. Peter Catholic School, and the Basilica School of St. Paul were recognized for best practice digital and print communications that serve to evangelize and communicate the vibrant school communities to others. The schools' entries were among hundreds of  entries from 25 schools throughout the Orlando Diocese. Ten communications categories included Newsletters, Special Publications, Brochures and Worship Aids, Video, Social Media and more.Father Lopez Catholic High  School in Daytona Beach was honored with a Light of Christ Award for its E-Newsletter which is sent to 2,000 constituents.  The E-Newsletter has a good blend of photos and articles and highlights students and faculty as well as  important school events and news.  It beautifully communicates the faithfulness of the community and the school's faith-based mission.Sacred Heart Catholic School in New Smyrna Beach was bestowed the Light of Christ Award for a new school logo featuring a unique mark of a heart with a cross  which serves to brand the school's identity as a Catholic entity enlivened by the heart of Christ.  The school community has embraced the new logo as a symbol of its identity.Sacred Heart Catholic School received a 2nd Light of Christ Award for their Ace Reporter Team for writing timely, informative, and faith-filled articles about people, places, and events happening in the school, and parish community.  The Ace Reporter team represents five  5th-7th grade students who did an exemplary job in covering the milestones of their school, parish, diocese and Church for the diocesan Faith News Online website.St. Peter Catholic School in DeLand was presented with the Light of Christ Award for its new school brochure.  The brochure's beautiful design features the students of the school, an alumni testimonial, and accurately portrays the community as well as the many academic benefits of a Catholic education at St. Peter's.The Basilica School of St. Paul in Daytona Beach received the Light of Christ Award for its Ambassador Kit which included a referral card for the school's ambassadors to hand out to interested families.  The kit also included flyers which were placed in parish bulletins and given away at various events.  The imagery evoked the school's mission to educate children spiritually and academically.In a message from Orlando Bishop Most Reverend John Noonan about the Light of Christ entries and awards, he said, "What does it take to connect to each other; to bring forth our faith in every moment of every day? These Light of Faith entries expound upon God's gifts through social network, videography, reporting, speeches, art, photography, campaigns, brochures, newsletters and many others to make disciples of all those in the Diocese of Orlando and beyond.  Our communications are not held on one piece of paper, nor in one moment of speech.  If we truly connect with each other, our communications are spread and faith is enkindled as Jesus asks us to do."These and other Light of Faith Award recipients were selected by expert panels of judges who reviewed over 425 entries from 30 parishes, 25 schools, 750 adults, 350 youth from nine counties throughout the Orlando Diocese.