Photo Caption: (Left to Right): Denice Cartee, Suzanne Lax, Tim DeMent, Martha DeMent, Charles Brazeale
Sept. 18, 2024 – (Ste. Genevieve, MO) - St. Vincent's-in-the-Vineyard Episcopal Church is excited to share that the church has made a donation of classroom resources to Ste. Genevieve Elementary School.
These items were supplied to the school to be used in its Reflection Room, one of the classrooms that is part of a multi-tiered system of support for students. This program provides support to students when they need a smaller setting, as well as provides social and emotional support, and calming and problem-solving techniques.
“As a congregation, we were excited to partner with Ste. Genevieve Elementary to help their students and staff,” said church member Charles Brazeale. “We believe this is part of our mission to share the love of Christ with our neighbors.” Church member Martha DeDementj added, “We hope to find other ways we can continue our partnership and support the school staff in the future.” Funds for this project were provided by the New Ventures in Community Ministries grant program which St. Vincent’s has been utilizing to reach out to their neighbors in Ste. Genevieve county and surrounding areas.
The donation included a variety of resources, such as flexible seating, balance pads, sensory and occupational therapy toys, calming tools for anxiety relief, activity trays, peddler machines, and wooden blocks—all designed to reduce stress, improve focus, and support emotional regulation.
“We would like to thank St. Vincent's-in-the-Vineyard for their generosity and support,” Principal Mrs. Nanya Gegg said. “The resources will allow us to further enhance the nurturing environment of the Reflection Room, offering students new opportunities for personal growth and self-regulation, ultimately creating a positive impact on their academic and emotional well-being.”