SCRANTON – Catholic Schools Week 2025 is now underway in the Diocese of Scranton through Saturday, Feb. 3.
The annual celebration provides an opportunity to honor the contributions of Catholic schools across the country, highlight their role in shaping students’ academic, spiritual, and moral development, and express gratitude for the educators, students, and families who are part of these vital communities.
The week is celebrated in the Diocese of Scranton’s 15 elementary schools and 4 high schools with a variety of events and activities, including Masses, open houses, service projects, and community outreach programs.
“We are excited to celebrate Catholic Schools Week because it is always an opportunity to honor the incredible work of our schools, teachers, administrators, and families,” Kristen Donohue, Diocesan Secretary of Catholic Education/Superintendent of Schools, explained. “Our mission is to provide a Catholic education that is spiritually sound, academically excellent, and prepares our students to be faith-filled leaders and life-long learners dedicated to serving the church and society.”
This year, in a very special way, the Diocese of Scranton is focusing on the achievements and contributions that Catholic school students can make, while also celebrating their academic and spiritual growth.
On Jan. 27, the Diocese of Scranton launched its inaugural “Living the STREAM” event. Catholic school students in grades 6-8 were invited to put their imagination into action and share a “big idea” that they think would meet a community, national, or global need.
As part of the “Living the STREAM” event, students were invited to work in teams and film a short video describing their project and how it could make for a better world. They were encouraged to include all aspects of STREAM (Science, Technology, Religion, Engineering, Art and Mathematics).
More than 40 videos, featuring nearly 200 Catholic school students, have been submitted – with students researching varying topics including homelessness, pollution, food waste – and offering their thoughts on how to tackle these issues.
As part of the “Living the STREAM” event, the community will be able to support the students and vote for their favorite, or the most creative video, on the Diocese of Scranton website (dioceseofscranton.org). Public voting – and a panel of community judges – will help to award prizes to several student projects in April.
Catholic Schools Week is not only a celebration of academic excellence, but also the values that define Catholic education, including faith, service, community and charity. There are currently more than 6,000 Catholic schools in the United States, serving roughly 1.5 million students.
Established by the National Catholic Educational Association (NCEA) in 1974, Catholic Schools Week aims to recognize the positive impact Catholic schools have on students, families, and communities.