WITH A GIANT PAPER donut covered in pink frosting and colorful sprinkles taped to her front, grandma Mary Owen knelt next to the kindergarten-sized table as her granddaughter Quinn Owen, 6, rocked on her wobble chair and held a purple bingo dauber at the ready.
“Have you and your special person played in the snow?” asked kindergarten teacher Angie Clark, as her packed classroom full of students with their special persons looked on.
COLLEEN STRAIN GETS A KISS ON THE CHEEK FROM HER GRANDSON PARKER WOOSLEY, 10, DURING HOLY FAMILY CATHOLIC SCHOOL’S SPECIAL PERSON’S DAY ON JAN. 30. PHOTOS BY SCOTT SMELTZER/DIOCESE OF ORANGE
Owen and Quinn excitedly exclaimed “Yes!” as they exchanged glances. Working together, they found the right bingo box and marked it.
The duo was just one pair of many who came together on Jan. 30 to celebrate “Special Persons Day” at Holy Family Catholic School in Orange. The Spartans spent the final day of Catholic Schools Week honoring grandparents (or another special person in their lives) with a student-led prayer service, a Saints trivia game, a classroom special activity and, of course, cookies.
ROQUEL ARANDA, RIGHT, HAS A SNACK WITH HIS GRANDSON ARIS CARIÑO, 4, DURING HOLY FAMILY CATHOLIC SCHOOL’S SPECIAL PERSON’S DAY.
“I am so happy to welcome you here to our annual Special Persons Day,” said Principal Marie Ubl to the standing room-only sanctuary. “This is the culmination of a week of many special activities as we celebrate Catholic Schools Week, a sacred time of celebration and prayer. It reminds us that Catholic education is not only about academic excellence, but also forming hearts rooted in faith, truth and love.”
This year’s prayer service was led entirely by the fifth- and sixth-grade Spartan Ambassadors, a leadership opportunity that students had to apply and be interviewed for, said seventh-grade teacher Pamela Gripp, who oversees the program. The service featured prayers, Scripture, a reading of the poem When You Thought I Wasn’t Looking, and musical performances. The preschool students sang You Are My Sunshine and One Small Voice, and the third- and fourth-grade choir performed Magic Penny.
“We warmly welcome all of our special people to our prayer service today,” said sixth-grade Spartan Ambassador Nalea Jimenez. “We gather here today as the Holy Family school community acknowledging and celebrating our grandparents and special people and the vital role they play in our lives.”
Owen, who has been a Holy Family parishioner for 48 years and got married there, was delighted to be chosen as Quinn’s special person. Owen has four granddaughters at Holy Family and a grandson who will be joining preschool soon.
STUDENTS AND THEIR GUESTS ATTEND A PRAYER SERVICE DURING HOLY FAMILY CATHOLIC SCHOOL’S SPECIAL PERSON’S DAY.
“I told Quinn that I wanted to cry,” Owen said. “I was so happy because it made me feel good inside.”
Owen picked up Quinn from her classroom with a bouquet of flowers, then they joined the rest of their family for the prayer service. Getting flowers made her happy, Quinn said, adding that getting to spend the day with her grandma made her feel special.
“My special person is my grandma, because she is special to me,” Quinn said. “We’re going to go to the beach after Special Persons Day.”
The beach was a surprise — and a chance to make Special Persons Day last longer.
“We have five grandchildren,” Owen said, “and so between all of them, they all like to talk at the same time. This is an opportunity for Quinn and I to have a nice lunch at the Beachcomber. And we’re going to have ice cream and all those good things, just the two of us. And we’re probably going to chase some seagulls.”