Hundreds of educators and school leaders eager to enhance the future of Catholic schools will attend a unique collection of summertime conferences hosted annually by the University of Notre Dame’s Alliance for Catholic Education (ACE).

The June and July conferences, some of which are currently accepting registrants, are part of ACE’s mission to sustain, strengthen, and transform Catholic schools. They are a growing component of the busy summers when ACE conducts the majority of its on-campus academic programming and graduate-level classes with the hope of inspiring the next generation of Catholic school teachers and leaders.

Preparation of outstanding college graduates to teach in Catholic schools is the organization’s best-known activity, now welcoming its 20^th cohort of aspiring educators as ACE prepares a major celebration of the nation’s Catholic schools to mark its 20^th anniversary.

The conferences are hosted by various ACE units that have grown in recent years to respond to particular issues and needs. Those interested in attending or learning more can visit these conferences’ respective web pages:

ACE Teaching Fellows Annual Conference (June 11-14). Participants in the Melody Family ACE Teaching Fellowship program convene to assess and catalyze their growth as master teachers, educational leaders, and generators of problem-solving research. Several benefactor-supported fellowships support highly promising educators who wish to continue their careers in Catholic classrooms while pursuing advanced knowledge and skills. Fellows cultivate these leadership assets along with their mentors during the conference.

Advocates for Parental Choice Symposium (June 14-19). This intensive formation experience gives participants a first-hand experience of people and places on the cutting edge in implementing school choice policies. Catholic school supporters will receive skills, insights, and working relationships to equip them as advocates in the parental choice movement. Major speakers on- and off-campus will increase these future leaders’ understanding of the social, legal, political, pedagogical, and moral dimensions of parental choice.

Play Like a Champion Today ® Sports Leadership Conference (June 21-23). This annual conference, titled “Character Education through Sports Leadership” for 2013, emphasizes developing the whole person through sports. Guest speakers offer professional development for coaches and athletic administrators at both the youth and high school levels. Hosted by ACE’s Play Like a Champion Today ® experts in sports as ministry, the conference gathers representatives of parochial leagues around the country to network and share best practices. Register for the Sports Leadership Conference.

Equitable Services Institute (June 23-28). Students in Catholic schools across the country are not getting federally funded services to which they’re entitled; this institute assists diocesan superintendents, principals, and other educational leaders to address this problem. Attendees will receive updated information about complex federal funding policies plus practical roadmaps for the process of consultations by which educators obtain equitable shares for their students from Title 1, Title 2, and Title 3 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act. Information and registration are available online.

Principals Academy (June 24-28). A four-day enrichment experience for Catholic school principals, entitled “Fueling the Fire of Leadership in Catholic Schools” for 2013, will engage expert faculty and practitioners as they develop an action plan to increase motivational practices for instruction, enrollment, and school identity. Principals will explore tangible, evidence-based strategies to increase teacher motivation and self-efficacy, improve supervision processes, and encourage teacher self-evaluation to improve the professional learning environment of schools. Register for this academy hosted by ACE Consulting.

Latino Enrollment Institute (June 25-28). The Catholic School Advantage campaign will invite principals from around the country to discuss strategic possibilities and pursue practical strategies to increase enrollment, particularly among Latino children, in Catholic schools.

Superintendents Strategic Leadership Conference (July 9-12). ACE Consulting will host its annual conference for diocesan schools superintendents, providing expert speakers and facilitating in-depth conversations to explore key issues faced by the invited school leaders.

School Pastors Institute (July 9-12). Pastors whose parishes include schools are invited to this annual institute to learn to manage and leverage better the distinctive relationship between a parish and its school. The Institute develops many skills and perspectives that a pastor will need in overseeing a parish school,its people, and its finances. Insights presented will support pastors’ reflections on the value of Catholic schools to parishioners and to the Church’s future.

Mary Ann Remick Leadership Conference (July 12). This conference, a capstone event for those earning their master’s degrees in educational administration through the Mary Ann Remick Leadership Program, is a unique and informal venue for South Bend-area educators to discuss current research with ACE leaders and experts from across the country. The graduate students preparing to serve as principals present the action research they have conducted, and local visitors attending free-of-charge exchange ideas on school challenges and solutions.

ACE Summer Forum (July 12-14). The ACE Summer Forum is a professional development opportunity for Catholic school supporters and ACE graduates, focusing on urgent needs in Catholic schools and how aadvocates can address them. This summer, Forum participants will discuss raising local awareness for Catholic schools and connecting local initiatives to the broader ACE movement.

ACE 19 Parent Retreat (July 24-26). Parents whose sons or daughters have just finished their first year in ACE Service through Teaching often have many questions about these first-year teachers’ experiences. ACE Advocates hosts a special retreat for these parents at Notre Dame to get their questions answered and to see the broader context of the journey their ACE teachers are taking. The retreat also allows these parents of the ACE 19 cohort to hear presentations, worship together, and swap stories.

Video update: Tony Hollowell reading March 12 at the Conclave Mass.

Audio update: Hollowell interviewed March 14 on Son Rise Morning Show.

An ACE graduate who has pursued a new vocational path, that of seminarian, was privileged to participate in the Conclave Mass this week that was an important step toward electing Pope Francis.

When the Catholic Church’s College of Cardinals assembled on Tuesday for the task of electing the next Pope, they began with Mass, and Tony Hollowell—seminarian, Notre Dame alumnus, and former Alliance for Catholic Education (ACE) teacher—served as lector, reading a passage from Isaiah.

Tony, who graduated from Notre Dame in 2004 and again in 2006 when he received his M. Ed. degree from ACE after teaching in a Catholic school in the Diocese of Biloxi, Miss., has been studying for the priesthood in Rome. As reported in The Indianapolis Star, he was selected to ed to read the first reading at the March 12 Mass for the Election of the Pontiff.

ACE congratulates this prayerful student and bold supporter of Catholic education. For more details of his past adventures as a teacher and cross-country cyclist, see Notre Dame Magazine’s story about him, plus a new reflection about Tony's journey provided by Catholic journalist Sean Gallagher. 

Of Sarah Greene, Fr. Lou DelFra, CSC writes, "Sarah has given no less than most of her recent life to the ACE mission...She has served...with incredible pedagogical and pastoral insight and a ceaselessly encouraging personality...She has brought a vibrant faith in Christ as the center of her life and the ACE mission, an untiring (and contagious!) hope in the future of Catholic schools, and an ultra-generous love for all her fellow disciples with whom she shares this ministry and mission."

Sarah is a beloved member of the ACE family. Below she shares some of her history with ACE and her gratitude for the new position she has taken with ACE Advocates.

Seven years ago, I applied to teach with ACE after meeting incredible people who had dedicated two years of their lives to the mission of Catholic schools, which have shaped me profoundly. Through my time as an ACE teacher, I constantly met amazing disciples: administrators, teachers, families, fellow ACE teachers and ACE graduates, all of whom advocated for Catholic schools in their daily lives of service and prayer.

Through my five years on the ACE Service through Teaching pastoral staff, I have been blessed to work with an amazing array of ACE communities, which has opened my eyes and heart to the common mission of diverse Catholic schools across the country – and even beyond. And I have been privileged to witness through all of these schools and teachers the person who makes our diverse efforts and hopes one – Christ the Teacher, working through all of us.

As a member and chair of the South Bend Advocates community, I've seen our regional community welcome many new faces and send forth many friends to continued and ever-deepening service in Catholic education. I feel truly blessed that my role in the South Bend region has offered opportunities to collaborate with new leaders in ACE Advocates nationally, and an ever-broadening circle of colleagues from the Remick Leadership Program, the ENL and TEC Programs, Notre Dame ACE Academies, and so many other friends and co-disciples in this mission.

I was – and remain! – amazed by the ACE community's passion for Catholic schools, for growth in faith, for increasingly effective service, for supportive and encouraging community. I am humbled and honored to serve Catholic schools and the ACE community in this new role as director of ACE Advocates.

Dear ACE Advocates Community and Friends of ACE,

Greetings from Notre Dame! I am humbled and honored to serve Catholic schools and the ACE community in this new role as director of ACE Advocates.

Seven years ago, I applied to teach with ACE after meeting incredible people who had dedicated two years of their lives to the mission of Catholic schools, which have shaped me profoundly. Through my time as an ACE teacher, I constantly met amazing disciples: administrators, teachers, families, fellow ACE teachers and ACE graduates, all of whom advocated for Catholic schools in their daily lives of service and prayer.

Through my five years on the ACE Service through Teaching pastoral staff, I have been blessed to work with an amazing array of ACE communities, which has opened my eyes and heart to the common mission of diverse Catholic schools across the country – and even beyond. And I have been privileged to witness through all of these schools and teachers the person who makes our diverse efforts and hopes one – Christ the Teacher, working through all of us.

As a member and chair of the South Bend Advocates community, I've seen our regional community welcome many new faces and send forth many friends to continued and ever-deepening service in Catholic education. I feel truly blessed that my role in the South Bend region has offered opportunities to collaborate with new leaders in ACE Advocates nationally, and an ever-broadening circle of colleagues from the Remick Leadership Program, the ENL and TEC Programs, Notre Dame ACE Academies, and so many other friends and co-disciples in this mission.

I was – and remain! – amazed by the ACE community's passion for Catholic schools, for growth in faith, for increasingly effective service, for supportive and encouraging community. I greatly anticipate meeting or reconnecting with all of you who have worked to serve and strengthen Catholic schools and our ACE community in so many vibrant ways. I am grateful to work with our ACE Advocates team as we strive to learn from you, to support you, and to pray with you.

May God bless and keep you in these Lenten days!

Gratefully, in ACE,

Sarah Greene
Director of ACE Advocates

Dear ACE Advocates Community and Friends of ACE,

I am delighted to announce that one of the most relentless, effective, and joyful Advocates for Catholic education that we all know – Sarah Greene – has accepted the position as the new director of ACE Advocates! We have been so blessed in our movement with all of your gifts – the gifts of so many energetic, talented, inspiring, and zealous supporters of Catholic schools. We could not have a director of Advocates more in tune with, and more committed to, the mission about which all of us care so passionately!

As you know, Sarah has given no less than most of her recent life to the ACE mission! Placed as a member of ACE 13 at McGill-Toolen High School in Mobile, AL as a high school English teacher, Sarah taught freshmen and seniors in one of ACE Service Through Teaching's original dioceses. For the past five years, Sarah has served on the Service Through Teaching pastoral staff, supporting with incredible pedagogical and pastoral insight, and a ceaselessly encouraging personality, ACE teachers in Arizona, Washington DC, Virginia, Florida, Georgia, Alabama and Mississippi. During these years, Sarah has also been a bedrock member of the South Bend Regional Network of ACE Advocates, where she has also served as communications chair and, this past year, as regional chair. Most importantly, through all of these positions, Sarah has brought a vibrant faith in Christ as the center of her life and the ACE mission, an untiring (and contagious!) hope in the future of Catholic schools, and an ultra-generous love for all her fellow disciples with whom she shares this ministry and mission.

So please join me in welcoming Sarah as she begins her new ministry as director of ACE Advocates!

May God continue the works of freedom and salvation in each of our lives through these Lenten days. Onward to the challenges of the Cross, and the triumphs of the Resurrection, as they are making themselves manifest in our lives!

Yours in ACE,

Fr. Lou DelFra, CSC
Director of Pastoral Life

Click here to read Sarah's greeting to ACE Advocates.

"You can't tell how far a frog can jump just by looking at him." Lindsay Will reads this quote every morning as she walks into her office. It reminds her that no matter what challenges her students may face, they have the potential to grow and jump a little farther.

Lindsay (Johns) Will, ACE 14, always knew there was more she could be  doing for her struggling students. She began her career almost six years ago  as a third grade teacher in Jackson,   MS. Today she serves as the director    of Learning Services and Student Support at St. Clement School in Chicago. Before taking on her current role, Lindsay taught Kindergarten at St. Clement for three years. She believes that Kindergarten is an important year for students, especially for those with learning/social-emotional differences. "Partnering with families early in their children's career," Lindsay says, "provides the greatest benefit for their children in the long run."

To better meet the needs of her students, Lindsay enrolled in the first ACE Teaching Exceptional Children (TEC) cohort. She reflects upon her year-long venture in the program fondly, most importantly for the way it has impacted her school in Chicago. "As a member of TEC," she describes, "I was called to implement a Strategic Intervention Team. I decided to name it the Child First Team, because of its mission to put children first in all of their decisions." Now in its third year, her Child First Team has served over 60 families by developing intervention plans for students.

Lindsay has observed the way her team has changed the culture of her school. "Before the Child First Team's inception," she says, "parents were scared to come to the school if they were worried about their child. They were so afraid of being 'kicked out.' Today parents welcome the opportunity to meet with the team and feel supported knowing there is a dedicated group that shares the desire to help their child succeed."

Not only has the team impacted families, but it has made a huge difference for teachers. Lindsay remembers her ACE STT experience and feeling so alone in trying to help her students. Teachers at St. Clement feel more confident knowing they have the support of the entire Child First Team.

Today Lindsay also serves as the Strategic Intervention Team Coach for the current cohort of ACE TEC students. After living through the demands of the program herself, Lindsay says, "I enjoy the opportunity to share my experience and knowledge. Implementing a team is not an easy task, but it is by far the most rewarding and valuable contribution I have made to my school."

Lindsay and her husband, Tim Will (ACE 15), are expecting their first child this May. Lindsay is excited to be a mom and believes that being a parent will make her an even stronger teacher.

Dear ACE Advocates Community,

Greetings from Notre Dame in this New Year of Grace, 2013! All God's blessings on you, and all those whom God has entrusted to your care, in this New Year!

I write to share some great news. As you know, Chuck Lamphier has provided thoughtful and generous leadership of the ACE Advocates over these past three years. During these years, the Advocates has grown and matured in so many ways – in its spiritual mission and identity, in direct service to local Catholic schools by ACE graduates and friends in now-25 Advocates Regions around the country and world, in its efforts to invite and engage entrepreneurial leaders in Catholic education. We are grateful for Chuck's gifts, and the leadership of the entire Advocates team here on campus.

At Notre Dame, the University has recently created the Office for Mission Engagement and Church Affairs, which will make efforts to coordinate and strengthen the many ways in which Notre Dame serves the Catholic Church. Chuck will become the lead adviser to the vice president of this office. We wish to congratulate Chuck and pray for God's blessings on this new endeavor, which he began on January 1. Please join me in thanking Chuck for his many contributions to the ACE Advocates Movement.

As we continue to discern the future direction and growth of the Advocates, I will provide leadership of the Advocates, together with our Advocates team on campus, in the interim.

We enter the turning of this new year, as we enter each new year, with the words of Christ ringing in our ears: "Behold, I make all things new!" May God renew each of us in our discipleship, in our ministries, and in our love for God and one another, as we proclaim the Gospel ever anew!

God bless you,

Fr. Lou

Whether through new initiatives or existing traditions, the movement of the Alliance for Catholic Education continued its mission to sustain, strengthen and transform Catholic schools in 2012.

As we move closer to our 20th year of service to Catholic education, we've sifted through all the exciting news stories of this past year to put together this list of the ten most-visited ACE stories:

1. ND Launches New Partnership Program in St. Petersburg, FL, Area

The University of Notre Dame partnered with two Catholic schools in the Diocese of St. Petersburg to form the second site of Notre Dame ACE Academy (NDAA) schools.

2. Michael Pressley Awards Go to Three Outstanding Educators

Three outstanding educators committed to sustain, strengthen, and transform Catholic schools received the 2012 Michael Pressley Awards from the Alliance for Catholic Education's ACE Advocates for Catholic Schools.

3. An Array of ACE Programs and People Energize Summer at ND

The summer break at the University of Notre Dame surged with energy as the Alliance for Catholic Education (ACE) began its peak season.

4. Dan Faas Delivered STT Student Commencement Address

ACE 17 Student Commencement Address given in the Monogram Room, Edmund P. Joyce Center
at the University of Notre Dame on July 13, 2012.

5. Your Future in ACE: Consider the Possibilities

This blessed time of year prompted us to look back upon cherished Christmas traditions and to look forward to a new year—often considering plans for the future that reflect our deepest values.

Chicago Jesuit Academy (CJA) is a full-scholarship Jesuit school that serves young men from modest economic backgrounds in grades 5-8. Following the Nativity model, the west-side school begins its day at 7:30 am and ends at 6:00 pm. The school year lasts nearly 11 months, and students learn in small class sizes to prepare for success in college prep high schools, universities, and positions of community leadership. The school opened in 2005, and thanks to the unwavering dedication of its staff and teachers—four of whom are graduates of ACE Service through Teaching—student success rates have been staggering.

"We're fortunate to have an extraordinarily talented faculty and staff," said CJA President Matthew Lynch. "They have the education and the work ethic to do whatever they want in their professional lives," he went on to say. But they choose to dedicate themselves to the students of CJA instead. This is true of ACE grads Matt Houlihan, Teresa Haggerty, Sarah Finch, and Katie McDonnell who, with approximately 75% of all ACE graduates, have chosen to stay in Catholic education.

Of their experience at CJA, these teachers have nothing but praise. Matt (ACE 12) said, "CJA is one of the few [schools] I've ever heard of that continually hires standout teachers and individuals. The camaraderie, teamwork and selflessness exhibited in the staff at CJA are nearly singular. For [any] teacher used to being a bit of an island, CJA is inspiring."

Katie (ACE 16) added, "ACE got me hooked on service in urban Catholic schools. I looked for a school that offers holistic opportunities to students who otherwise may not have school choice and CJA was the perfect fit."

"Our mission resonates powerfully with ACE alumni," Mr. Lynch said. "Our job is to help our students discover and develop their God-given gifts. This is at the heart of who we are."

Their mission is working. On average, incoming CJA fifth-grade students test at the mid-third-grade level in reading and mathematics. Upon graduating, eighth-grade students test at the mid-tenth-grade level in those subjects, and many go on to attend rigorous college prep high schools in Chicago such as Loyola Academy and St. Ignatius and prestigious boarding schools such as the Thacher School in California, Culver Academy in Indiana and Episcopal High in Virginia. To support them, CJA offers a College-Persistence Program that collaborates with families, high schools and colleges to ensure that these young men receive the same high level of care long after they have graduated eighth grade.

CJA currently serves close to 100 young men but will have the capacity to serve twice that number when a renovation and expansion project is completed in September of 2013.

For more information about the school, call (773) 638-6103, visit the website or follow on Facebook.

Good news about the present and future of Catholic schools fills the pages of the 2011-2012 Annual Report from the Alliance for Catholic Education. That report, released today, is available online—the first fully digital version of an ACE annual report.

This fresh collection of compelling stories about ACE's activities explores successes in leadership formation, professional services, research-based innovation, and partnerships around the United States.

Faculty and staff have shared expertise in school governance, strategic planning, Latino enrollments, and parental choice, among other issue areas. Nearly 80 bishops have engaged in ACE-sponsored conferences on advocating for parental choice policies.

The report also offers highlights of the 2011-2012 academic year for numerous initiatives through which the Alliance for Catholic Education responds to the needs of dioceses—and to the call to serve children by sustaining, strengthening, and transforming Catholic schools.

During the year, ACE offered services in 74 archdioceses and dioceses. ACE teachers and principals impacted the lives of 38,000 students.

Supporters of Catholic schools will find a valuable resource in this update on ACE's growing list of activities. Paper copies of the 2011-2012 Annual Report are available by contacting communications specialist This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .

This week, Cristo Rey Jesuit College Preparatory School teacher Andrew Hoyt answers our questions about his experience as a teacher, a Melody Teaching Fellow, and a witness to the difference Catholic schools make.

How did you come to be professionally involved in education?

My first exposure to teaching (aside from my own experience as a student) came in an unusual setting: a homeless shelter. While I was an employee at the Center for the Homeless in South Bend, a group of graduate students from the MFA in creative writing program at the University of Notre Dame started up a writing workshop for our guests at the CFH. These graduate students were nice enough to let me sit in with them, and they amazed me with their ability to engage even the most unlikely students in the written word.

A few years later, I became involved with a community of educators and ACE-grads who were [interested in] the Cristo Rey model. The more we researched it, the more impressed I became with the intersection of academics, spirituality, and social justice that drives these schools. When I heard of the plans for a new Cristo Rey school in Houston, Texas, I started shopping online for belt buckles and cowboy hats. I've been lucky enough to teach English at Cristo Rey Jesuit College Preparatory of Houston for the last four years.

What led you to Melody Teaching Fellows, and how has the program helped you as an educator?

The Gwen and Larry Melody family have been incredible supporters and friends of Cristo Rey Jesuit in Houston, and when I heard of the idea for the Melody Teaching Fellows, I thought it would be a great opportunity to hone my practice and develop responses to some of the unique challenges my students face. In particular, the program gave me an opportunity to investigate, understand, and address some of my students' vocabulary deficiencies. With the help of my mentor and outstanding colleagues, I developed a curriculum to promote morphological awareness that I never could have imagined or completed without the Melody Teaching Fellows program.

I believe that the purpose of education, and literacy in particular, is to provide our students with freedom. With that in mind, the goal of my work with the Melody Teaching Fellows program has been to allow my students to feel hope when they encounter words and terms that they have never seen before, rather than despair or frustration.

Will you share with us a story from your classroom that affirms the value of Catholic Education?

My students work in a dojo-like environment to "chop" words into morphemes, and they earn bracelets of various colors, much like the belts in a karate dojo. Just last week a senior student, who earned a "black belt" in my class as a sophomore, sat in my room for a study hall with the rest of the varsity basketball team. As all of the students worked on their homework, one freshman ran across a word in his reading that gave him trouble. He asked three people what the word meant, but no one seemed to know. Finally, the third student suggested, "Ask Nghia, he's a black belt." The freshman looked in awe at the senior (it's insanely hard to become a black belt), and took his reading over to the older student. Though they didn't know I was listening, two things happened in that conversation that affirmed for me the value of their Catholic education. First, the senior admitted that he didn't know the definition of the word, but asked the freshman, "What should we do?" The freshman tentatively responded, "Break it down?" And the two began working together to determine the definition of the word. When faced with a challenge, Nghia didn't back down. He felt free to begin an investigation of his own; more importantly, he shared that freedom with the younger student. I could hardly hope for more than to see two students, helping one another, emboldened by a sense of hope, and relishing a challenge in front of them.

Read more about Andrew's curriculum on his blog here.

Cassie Brownell had her first introduction to Catholic schools when she enrolled at Marquette University. "The closest Catholic school [to our small North-Central Montana town] was sixty miles away," she tells us. What captured her imagination as a college freshman is what continues to motivate her today: a love of service and living "as a woman for others."

That motivation is also what led her to ACE Service through Teaching (plus, she says, the influence of "some great MU alums in the ACE program") and then spurred her to enroll in ACE Teaching Exceptional Children. About her interest in TEC, Cassie says, "After three years teaching in post-Katrina New Orleans, two years in second grade with ACE and one year in first grade at my post-ACE school, I recognized trends among the academic and behavioral needs of the students I encountered. From discussions with [ACE Senior Director of Program Development] Dr. Joyce Johnstone, I knew more could be done to address the needs of not only students but parents and educators."

Through TEC, Cassie established a Strategic Intervention Team (SIT) at her school, which allowed her and her colleagues to develop relationships with six families that now, she says, "have new hope for the future of their children's academic careers." She went on to say, "My principal commented that SIT is the single-best thing to happen at our school."

Now in her fifth year of teaching, Cassie continues her focus on service and living for others. Recently she visited her ACE school, where she ran into a former student. In the first moments of their conversation, the student asked, "Do you still love all of us?" That summed up Cassie's commitment as a Catholic and an educator: "Loving my students and meeting them where they are."

Carl Loesch is one of seven children whose combined years in Catholic schools total more than 100. It's not hard to see how these schools have formed him. There's his deep commitment to the faith and to service. His strong academic training in math. Two Theology degrees from Notre Dame. And a career dedicated to Catholic education.

"I just wanted to give back," he says when explaining his decision to become a Catholic school teacher. And so he has. For nine years he taught and coached in Fort Wayne and then, at the invitation of Bishop D'Arcy, pursued a position in administration through the ACE Service through Teaching and Remick Leadership programs. Today he serves as the highly respected principal of Marian High School in South Bend.

Of his experience in ACE, Carl points out that both programs prepared him not only academically, but spiritually and socially, too. "The emphasis on forming us as Catholic educators is exactly what we need to be prepared to educate and care for the precious souls entrusted to us. The emphasis on prayer and the sacraments as necessary for our ministry help sustain me in my daily work. Finally, the emphasis on community taught me to share my gifts with others and to be open to learning from others."

Carl Loesch is still giving back to the Catholic schools he loves, and it's clear the schools are still forming him, too. He recently shared this story about what he learned from a courageous transfer student with autism and the student body that accepted him: "On his first day at Marian, the student walked very nervously into the cafeteria and sat down at a table by himself. He began to eat his lunch, and then a beautiful thing happened. A couple young men came over and invited him to sit with them. From that point on, I knew he was going to be okay. This young man went on to serve the school as a manager for two varsity sports. I could barely hold back my tears of joy at the end of his senior year when I got to place a state runner-up medal around his neck for his support of a team in their run to state.

This courageous young man and our welcoming student body taught me how to see the good in others. As St. John Chrysostom said, 'What greater work is there than touching the minds and hearts of young people.' More often than not, they are the ones teaching me."

No matter what role she plays as an educator--resource specialist, author, classroom teacher--this ACE Service through Teaching graduate emphasizes that she's doing not her work, but God's.

How did you come to be involved in education and Catholic schools?

I always tell people that education chose me, not the other way around. From tutoring to teaching religious education, I was involved in education from a young age. However, it wasn't until my time in ACE that I truly realized that education was, indeed, my vocation.

What led you to ACE?

The community pillar was what really made ACE stand out over other service programs I was considering, such as Peace Corps. I realized that I wanted to share my day-to-day experiences with a group of like minded individuals. My experience in community did not disappoint!

How did ACE prepare you for what you've done since graduating and for what you're doing now?

ACE challenged me to truly be a professional educator by staying current on research and translating that into my own practice. I also recently realized that while I (thankfully) don't keep a reflective journal about my students and my classroom like I was required to during ACE, that I do continually reflect on what I'm experiencing.

And while I'm not currently working in a Catholic school, I bring those experiences with me every day. During our first ACE summer, Fr. Scully told us that we needn't be anxious about teaching because we were doing God's work in our classrooms, not ours. I started each morning with a prayer asking God to help me do His work. I find myself still praying those words each morning.

How do you see ACE making a difference in Catholic schools?

ACE helps young people discern a vocation to serve children in Catholic schools. What bigger difference could be made?

Jess and her husband, Tre', live in Columbus, Ohio. After many years serving as an elementary education resource specialist at the Ohio State University, she returned to the classroom and is now teaching 1st-5th grade science. Her book, Inquiring Scientists, Inquiring Readers: Using Nonfiction to Promote Science Literacy, Grades 3-5, co-written with Terry Shiverdecker, can be pre-ordered and will be officially released on October 25.

September 2012

Dear Friends,

Warm greetings from Notre Dame and the Alliance for Catholic Education! With the new school year in full-swing, we wanted to take a moment to thank all who make the ACE Movement a force for sustaining, strengthening, and transforming Catholic schools.

Thank you to the 180 teachers and 60 school leaders enrolled in ACE's degree programs this year! Thanks to the many teachers who are gaining additional skills through ACE's English as a New Language and Teaching Exceptional Children programs! Thank you to the countless superintendents, principals, and mentor teachers who are helping ACE form a new generation of exceptionally talented, faith-filled leaders for Catholic schools! Thanks to the nearly two-thousand ACE graduates who continue the work of making a high quality Catholic school education available to all!

Thank you to ACE's innumerable friends, partners, and collaborators. You are the engine for ACE's work in service to Catholic schools, the Church, and the nation; you are the ACE Movement!

This will be an exciting year for ACE's mission, and this monthly e-newsletter will keep you updated on our programs and activities. I hope that you'll find our newsletter to be informative, but also invitational: We're always eager to hear from you, and to learn more about how we can be of service. And, if you enjoy what you read, we ask that you invite your colleagues and friends to sign up as well.

May the new year bring many graces to you and your family, and may Christ the Teacher shower you with blessings!

Chuck Lamphier, Director, ACE Advocates