16 SEPTEMBER 30, 2021 RIDGEWOOD TIMES WWW.QNS.COM
Queens’ Variety Boys & Girls Club collects
backpacks during back to school festival
NYC Catholic school students start new social justice curriculum
BY ALEJANDRA O'CONNELLDOMENECH
ADOMENECH@SCHNEPSMEDIA.COM
@AODNEWZ
Catholic school students in
Brooklyn and Queens will have
a new social justice curriculum
integrating into their religion classes
this fall, the Diocese of Brooklyn announced
earlier this week.
“As students and teachers of faith,
it is critical that we commit to reinforcing
and advancing the values
of respect of each other, and love of
our fellow man,” said Dr. Thomas
Chadzutko, superintendent of
schools for the Diocese of Brooklyn.
“It is important to teach our students
the lessons of acceptance, tolerance
and understanding if we are to look
to bring an end to the tension and
uneasiness that exists in our society
due to racism.”
The new curriculum was craft ed by
the Diocesan Commission on Racism
and Social Justice which was formed
by Bishop Nicholas DiMarzo in 2017
after a woman taking part in an
anti-racism protest in Charlottesville,
VA, died when a neo-Nazi drove his
car into the crowd of demonstrators.
Students began the curriculum’s
fi rst section, “Solidarity” this week
and will share personal stories
“establish a greater sense of connection,”
according to a statement from
the diocese.
The following is a list of all the
curriculum’s sections:
September: Solidarity, All are
Welcome and Loved
October: Call to Family,
Community and Participation
November: Dignity of Work and
Rights for Workers
December: Celebrations Around
the World
January: Option for the Poor and
Vulnerable
February: Rights and Responsibilities,
Black History Month
March : Right s and
Responsibilities, Women’s History
April: Care for God’s Creation
May: Life and Dignity of the
Human Person
June: Being Leaders in Faith
BY NATALIE LOWIN
EDITORIAL@QNS.COM
@QNS
The Variety Boys & Girls Club of Queens recently
held a back to school event for local students
and their families.
The event, held on Sept. 18 in Astoria, provided
over 200 backpacks and school supplies for students
returning to class.
The backpacks and supplies were donated by
the Queens Borough President Donovan Richards,
Staples store 841, Executive Digital, state Senators
Michael Gianaris and Jessica Ramos, Apartment 3R
and PreCog Security.
More generosity came with the donation of 500
cookies by Chip City, located on 42-15 Crescent St.
Some of the other vendors present were San Antonio’s
Wood Fired Pizza, Ample Hills Creamery and
Astoria Bookshop.
The event, which was hosted in sponsorship with
TD Bank, Elmhurst Hospital, Chip City and Heroes
Basketball, featured several games, including a dunk
tank.
Costa Constantinides, CEO of Variety Boys & Girls
Club and former Astoria city councilman, was all
smiles aft er being dunked in.
According to their website, the Variety Boys &
Girls Club, created in 1955, was established by a concerned
group of citizens in Astoria and Long Island
City who “banded together in response to rising gang
violence in their neighborhood.”
For more information about the Variety Boys &
Girls Club, visit bgcqueens.org.
Queens’ Variety Boys & Girls Club hosted a back to school event on Sept. 18 to donate school
supplies. Photo courtesy of Variety Boys & Girls Club
AP Photo/Gillian Flaccus
EDUCATION
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