St Benet Biscop students spread Christmas cheer with Operation Christmas Drop

Festive joy was signed, sealed and delivered, when caring students at St Benet Biscop Catholic Academy decided to spread some seasonal cheer in the community.

The Student Council members spearheaded ‘Operation Christmas Drop’, where students from Years 7 to 11 at the school wrote Christmas cards which they then delivered to residents in the area.

The initiative was part of the ‘Mission 90’ personal development challenge, which covers ‘Faith’, ‘Quest’, and ‘Learning’, with tasks for students to complete in each of the three categories.

“Mission 90 is a challenge rooted in our mission to ‘seek wholeness through faith, quest, and learning, to be what God intends us to be’,” explained Deputy Headteacher Maxine Salmon.

“Students have a list of 30 challenges in Faith, 30 in Quest, and 30 in Learning. If they can complete five in each category, they have succeeded in the challenge.”

“One such challenge in the area of Faith is to live out the Catholic Social Teaching principles,” she continued. “Our newly-elected Student Council rose to this challenge, as well as ticking off a Quest challenge of being part of a school council or committee.

“They took the lead in writing Christmas cards in our Operation Christmas Drop, whereby they posted Christmas cards through the doors of residents in our local community, spreading Christmas joy with an aim to celebrate our school and local community.”

The school’s sixth formers also entered into the festive spirit, distributing Christmas cards in a nearby care home.

“Our Sixth Form Peer Mentors also delivered hand-made Christmas cards to Birkinshaw Manor,” said Mrs Salmon. “The mentors ran the project at lunchtime in our Learning Resource Centre for students to come and design their bespoke Christmas cards for the residents at Birkinshaw Manor.

“The cards were delivered with a tour of the house, to meet residents and hand deliver some festive cheer.”

“This is the first time we have launched Mission 90 to boost our students’ social and cultural capital opportunities, so that they are fully supported in striving to live out our school mission,” she added.

“These events are crucial in reinforcing our sense of community, where every student feels as though they belong.”