At St. Viator Parish School, the whole parish and school faith community comes together to sustain the Micah 6:8 Program and help inclusive education thrive for all students. This commitment to serve students with special needs, who are too often accounted of little importance, makes St. Viator School the only inclusive Catholic school in Nevada.
As the program grew, Fr. Richard Rinn, CSV, pastor, reflected on this impact in Viator in spring 2023: “We thought we were doing something special to help our Micah children. We learned these children did something for us. Our students are more aware and more accepting, more generous with care and compassion, and I see the same in our faculty, staff, and families.”
The Province of Chicago is a committed partner, contributing financial support annually toward the program. Recently, two 8th grade students wanted to do their part, too. So, they organized a lemonade stand, and their work raised $200 to contribute toward the program.
Two St. Viator 8th-graders staged this great lemonade stand to raise $200 they could then donate to the Micah 6:8 Program at their school.
Mrs. Angela Sligar, program director, is particularly impressed by their generosity and service because these students don’t have classmates in Micah. However, being part of an inclusive school has taught them particular compassion and inclusion. “This program has helped shape the kind of people we want out students to be,” Mrs. Sligar said. “Even if they are not in the same classroom as students in the Micah 6:8 program, they are all benefiting from the way the program brings our school community together to be kinder people.”
This follows on the kindness from earlier this year of twin siblings Adrian and Pauline Reginaldo, two more St. Viator students who made their contribution to Micah. For their birthday, they asked friends to donate to the Micah Program instead of giving them gifts. This selfless idea raised $1,100. Pauline is an 8th grader this year, while her twin sibling Adrian is a 7th grade Micah Program student.
St. Viator Parish School depends on several sources of financial support to underwrite the additional costs that inclusive education incurs beyond standard tuition, including special education aides and specialized resources. Micah is supported by private benefactors, twice-a-year special collections at the parish, and Viatorians, and we are honored to stand behind the lay leaders, including Mrs. Sligar, Principal Dr. Katie Kiss, and Vice Principal Associate Paul Mertzman, who make inclusive education possible.
However, with other funding sources expiring or running out – such as the Emergency Assistance to Non-Public Schools (EANS) grant – the Micah 6:8 Program continues to face financial uncertainty.
Earlier this year, the Provincial Council visited the school and enjoyed their time with the Micah Program students and staff and school leadership.
If you are interested in supporting this mission of inclusive education for these young people, Mrs. Sligar encourages you to learn more, perhaps by watching Micah Program videos or donating at their website or listening to Mrs. Sligar’s appearance on the Viatorian Voices podcast below.