The last week of July, the NESCC sent a group of 20 students and three chaperones to the Skagit Valley to participate in the Seattle Archdiocese’s Service project, Agape.
 
Throughout the week, our group of middle and high school students participated in immersive service opportunities while building relationships with migrant communities, partnering with Catholic Community Services, and connecting with other young people from around the Seattle Archdiocese. 
 
Some of the week’s highlights include working at Growing Veterans a rehabilitative farm for veterans that works to combat veteran suicide; preparing meals and spending time with families living at migrant camps, and serving at the Agape food bank, a food bank operated by Catholic Community Services of Skagit Valley. The work was demanding, but our students approached every task with generosity, compassion, and a genuine desire to serve their neighbor.  
 
Alongside their service, the students spent time each day in prayer, learning, and reflection. They explored the principles of Catholic Social Teaching, prayed the rosary together, and concluded the trip with an evening of Eucharistic adoration alongside their fellow students and the Agape Staff.
 
We are so incredibly proud of our students for their willingness to serve, their openness to encountering Christ in others, and the way they grew in faith throughout the week. We are grateful for their witness and look forward to seeing how this experience continues to shape their lives! 
 
Kristin Holland
NE Seattle Director of Faith Formation