Spirit Day fires up Grade 7 students

Wonder Woman and Spider-Man join Spirit Day Man at Carney Secondary

By JEFF GRAHAM

Jeff Graham / The B.C. Catholic

Derek Juneson / Special to The B.C. Catholic

Derek Juneson / Special to The B.C. Catholic

Derek Juneson / Special to The B.C. Catholic

Sporting blue Superman-style SD T-shirts, 1,000 rambunctious Grade 7 students went to Archbishop Carney Regional Secondary School in Port Coquitlam Feb. 25 for the second annual Spirit Day. The event, hosted by the Youth Ministry Office, was well received by students; the photos of their happy faces tell the story.

The combination of dynamic speakers along with fire-swallowing, an escape from a strait jacket, good music, juggling, and good food proved to be irresistible. There were skits by Spirit Team student leaders, talks by Gene Monterastelli of APeX ministries, and music by Matt Maher of St. Timothy’s Catholic Community in Mesa, Ariz.

Wonder Woman, Spider-Man, and the famed Spirit Day Man also made appearances.

The packed school gym was a sea of blue, with body heat from the energetic students creating a sauna that would put most sweat lodges to shame. Spotlights raced over the participants as they sang and cheered throughout the eight-hour event.

“We are thrilled with how things turned out,” said Clay Imoo, director of the Youth Ministry Office. “The Grade 7s and their chaperones were very open to all aspects of the day.”

Despite being only the second Spirit Day ever put on by the Youth Ministry Office it seems to have outgrown its current venue. Imoo hopes that they’ll soon be able to reach even more Grade 7s in the future.

“Hopefully, the Grade 7 students will return to their families, schools, and communities on fire for their faith,” he said. “When the Grade 7 students get confirmed later this year, they’ll now know that with the great power of the Holy Spirit comes great responsibility.”