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The religion teacher started off the new semester at Notre Dame-Bishop Gibbons School in Schenectady by posing an offbeat question: "What do you see on television commercials?"

"Diet pills," one student said. "Happy people," another called out. The list continued: "Tall people and skinny people"..."Women with perfect hair or perfect features"..."Women with imperfect skin plagued by acne or wrinkles."

Viewers are constantly battered with what's wrong with them, Colleen Rudinski, the teacher, told her class of graduating seniors; and "we can actually be hoodwinked into believing that if we don't have enough self-esteem."

Her message gave them good reason to take a self-esteem quiz in their Christian Vocations workbook, which is full of topics like loving yourself, loving God, choices and commitments, religious life discernment and spotting an unhealthy relationship.

'I do' tryout
The students refer to it as "the marriage class," perhaps because they also spend the year learning about the sacrament. Students partner to attend marriage preparation sessions as a real couple would and learn vows; there's an end-of-the-year faux marriage ceremony presided over by a local priest and a reception planned by students which features pizza, garlic knots and cake.

But Mrs. Rudinski's class also hits on other topics like budgeting, renting an apartment, buying a car, communicating effectively and career exploration.

"There's nothing we won't deal with," she told The Evangelist.

The class is one of several unique religion offerings for upperclassmen at ND-BG. Juniors learn about morality; seniors study peace and justice in the fall.

All 295 middle and high school students study some form of religion and participate in other faith activities, like Mass at nearby St. Paul the Apostle Church on holy days, prayer services and special liturgies in the gym and a school-wide retreat.

Once a week, one of two local priests sit in the chapel to offer the sacrament of reconciliation, conversation and spiritual support. Every school day begins with a prayer, and every class begins with prayer and intentions.

"Sometimes the intentions are comical, but they're always intentions that sit on the hearts of the kids," said Ninette Kondratowicz, co-principal and a teacher.

Students aren't supposed to elaborate on a prayer intention. Mrs. Kondratowicz still remembers a student simply uttering "dog's pee," later explaining that her dog suffered from an infection.

But serious intentions get serious responses, too. Campus minister Kathleen Duff said a student once asked the class to pray for her dying grandmother so many days in a row that her peers remembered on their own when she was absent.

"We lift each other in prayer," Mrs. Kondratowicz said.

About 25 percent of students are not Catholic, but "the more diverse we become, the stronger we are as a community," said Ms. Duff, who posts interfaith activities on the door of her office.

Recently, students from a local Islamic school helped ND-BG eighth-graders make paper "peace cranes." Students also baked cookies to break the Ramadan fast of worshippers at a local mosque. Ms. Duff considers such activities a learning opportunity.

"If you want to learn about your own religion, the best way to do that is learn about another," she said.

Holding steady
Enrollment at ND-BG has remained stable in the past decade. In the 1960s, Bishop Gibbons, the former boys' school, enrolled 700 students. It merged with the all-girls Notre Dame in 1974.

The school recently tabled an idea to add elementary grades, instead choosing to partner with local Catholic elementary schools through joint staff development, hosting events and sending older students to volunteer at their former schools.

Recent years have heralded a few big changes at ND-BG: A new library and media center; a new, expanded art room; rejuvenation of the school choir; and a school anthem composed by the music teacher to be used at assemblies, graduation and sporting events.

That school spirit seems to have caught on.

"I don't think you'd find a more enthusiastic student body," said Ritch Harrigan, co-principal and a teacher.

Back in the marriage class, Mrs. Rudinski offered more pearls of wisdom.

On choosing when to date, she told the group: "You don't have to settle. You have to have a certain feeling about yourself before you dial the phone."

She also criticized media for downplaying celibacy and warned against losing one's virginity before marriage. "You're worth more than that," she urged students. "You want to save yourself for the person you're going to spend the rest of your life with."

(02/17/11) [[In-content Ad]]

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