FORMER ORANGE County Catholic writer and OC Catholic Schools alumna Rosalia Ripullo recently visited St. Francis of Assisi Catholic School to read from her recently published book, H Goes to Mexico.
ROSALIA RIPULLO POSES WITH STUDENTS AT ST. FRANCIS DE ASSISI CATHOLIC SCHOOL. FROM LEFT, ELIZABETH JURILLA, BRANDON MU, KADEN BUETTNER, MAX MARTIN, JULIAN SARMIENTO, NYLAH ALLEN AND KATELYN SARMIENTO. PHOTOS BY ALAN WENDELL/DIOCESE OF ORANGE
The book tells the story of the cartoon letter H’s trip south to learn more about its use in the Spanish language.
The idea for the book first came to Ripullo when she was a student at JSerra Catholic High School.
“I was always surrounded by stories, so I think what I found there is a power in stories and writing,” Ripullo told OC Catholic in an interview last year. Ripullo made the visit to St. Francis of Assisi on Jan. 16, during a trip home to Orange County from New York City, where she is currently a film student at New York University.
Visiting a local Catholic school meant a lot to Ripullo because she holds Catholic education in high esteem.
“The curiosity and youthful enthusiasm of the kids at St. Francis of Assisi brought me back to the joyous days of my Catholic education where learning Spanish sparked me to tell stories about the letters that caught my eye,” said Ripullo. “Being at St. Francis with all of the wonderful staff and teachers, who love what they do each and every day, is an honor for me.”
Having Ripullo on the St. Francis of Assisi Catholic School campus was exciting for teachers and students alike.
“Not only did Ms. Ripullo warmly engage with our young readers, but her story H Goes to Mexico carries an important message about self-worth and the unique gifts that God has given to us all,” said the school’s principal, Jacqueline Quiñones Sienkowski. “I would recommend this experience for every elementary school.”