Freshman leads schools’ efforts to help after hurricanes

By Carla Smith | Correspondent

It’s not every day we hear about a high school freshman organizing a benefit to help others, especially when those “others” attend a different school and are in a different state, but that’s just what Luke Arnold, a freshman at St. Dominic Savio Catholic High School in Austin, recently did.
Arnold’s extended family lives in Louisiana and their hometown was hit by not one but two hurricanes within in the span of a few months last year. Traveling to Lake Charles to help family clean up after Hurricane Laura made a menacing landfall in August gave Arnold a first-hand look at the devastation. A second hurricane, Delta, struck the area in October, including St. Margaret Catholic School, severely damaging it. Many of Arnold’s family members, including his mom and siblings, attended or currently attend St. Margaret’s, so when Luke heard that all of their school supplies had been destroyed and their technology devices had been stolen, he wanted to help and quickly organized a school supply drive.
“The school means a lot to my family and it was overwhelming to see how many donations we got,” he said. “I expected a lot, but I didn’t expect so much. It was surprising in a way but not surprising also.”
Arnold’s family rented a trailer to deliver the nearly 3,500 items collected for both students and teachers, including crayons, paper, binders, highlighters, backpacks, tape dispensers, staplers, organizing bins, dry erase boards and class décor. Students and families from St. Dominic Savio and Holy Family Catholic School donated the supplies, which were delivered to Louisiana over Thanksgiving break.
Arnold, who is also a parishioner of St. Margaret Mary Parish in Cedar Park, is proud and thankful the two schools worked together in what was deemed “Thanks-4-Giving.”
“It felt awesome to see both my current and former school get involved in the project,” he said. “The campaign would not have been as successful without help from both schools. We are so blessed to be a part of both communities as whenever there is a need, they always come through.”
A similar project was conducted in 2016 after Hurricane Barry hit Louisiana and both efforts tied in with with Holy Family’s Social Justice class, which spear-headed recent efforts. All eighth graders are required to take the class in which they learn the values of God, faith, virtue, character, honesty, hard work, service to others, Bible study and daily prayer. Putting what they learn into practice is what Sean Warfield ultimately hopes his students get from the class.
“The year-long class tries to do more than just teach, but also instill Catholic social teaching in a way that is real, tangible and memorable for the students to hang onto for the rest of their lives,” Warfield said. “It has been an honor and privilege to foster and witness these kids becoming high on the feeling of working hard and doing good in service to others.”
Arnold’s mom Beth whole-heartedly agrees, calling the project “a beautiful and humble experience for Luke and our family.” She added that the Social Justice class “was so instrumental and a true inspiration” and salutes the efforts by both St. Dominic Savio and Holy Family schools.
Louisiana State Senator Ronnie Johns got wind of the project and reached out personally to Arnold telling him, “Actions speak louder than words and your words are a true example of the values that St. Dominic Savio Catholic High represents –– Forming Servant Leaders in the Image of Christ –– and deservedly should be recognized and commended.”
Serving and leading have been instilled in Arnold throughout his life.
“I have always been taught at home and at school to serve others,” he said. “Throughout my Catholic education, I’ve also always been involved in many school service projects as well as serve in my parish.”
The fact that all of this took place during a pandemic makes it all the more remarkable. It didn’t have an impact on collecting donations, but once Arnold and family arrived to deliver the goods, they made sure to wear masks and strictly obey St. Margaret’s COVID-19 protocols.
Yet another remarkable element is that when approached for his class to support the drive, Warfield initially hesitated only because the school had just a week prior wrapped-up a successful food drive benefiting the St. Vincent de Paul Food Pantry. He was reluctant to dive into another service project and ask the school community for more so soon, but Principal Kelly Laster approved the idea and when Warfield took it to the class for a vote, they enthusiastically embraced the idea.
Teaching and encouraging even the youngest of children the value of giving to and helping others is something that ultimately blesses both those giving and those benefitting, as Arnold witnessed as he delivered the school supplies to St. Margaret students.
“Seeing the looks on their faces as we unloaded; it was awesome,” he said. “They were so happy and so amazed that someone brought all of it to their school just to help them out. It was an awesome feeling for me and everyone else.”
Arnold eventually hopes to attend Louisiana State University (LSU). His family –– both personal and at St. Margaret’s –– will surely welcome him back.