By Cain Madden

The Natchez Democrat

NATCHEZ — Helping fellow students buy a Coke wasn’t the only way some Cathedral upper elementary students paid it forward Wednesday on Harmony Day.

The older elementary students were out learning about ways to help others.

“We painted hearts on the playground and put a penny in the middle for the little kids,” , said Cathedral School fifth grader Bella Milligan. “It’s not just about helping them with money, but it gives them good luck when they pick it up.”

But soft drinks were was a big part of the agenda. Fourth grader Ethan Read, 10, said he was OK with however his Harmony Day gift of 75 cents gets used.

“I think that they are going to do what they are supposed to do and buy a drink, or they will take it to the nearest convenience store and buy bubble gum,” Read said. “It’s nice. Some people don’t have their own money to use.”

Harmony Day was part of a week-long national celebration of Catholic schools that Cathedral takes part in every year. A big part of Harmony Day focuses on high school students, who get to learn a little bit more about potential career options and how they might get there.

“My dad came and spoke, and I actually learned some things that I didn’t know,” said Grace Ann White, 17, about her father, Lee, who spoke about his business, Old River Truck Sales in Richland.

“Just about how much you have to keep going. You will gain some and lose some, but you have to believe in it and if you have faith, you can do anything you want.”

White and others, including Emily Hootsell, 16, are part of the peer ministry team that helped recruit the speakers.

“The keynote speaker was really engaging,” she said of Phil Gugliuzza. “He spoke about the importance of school, and how we have to come together to help each other as a class, and also helping yourself at the same time.”

Zach Flattmann, 17, standing nearby, said he thought the day had gone well.

“I am not on the peer ministry team, but as a student who watches it come together, I thought it was one of the best ones we have had,” he said. “I thought the self-defense class was very informing. I found out that a 15-year-old girl is probably stronger than me.”

Religion teacher Gabriel Cassagne said Harmony Day is a good opportunity for students to learn about careers.

“It gives students an opportunity to learn something they might not be familiar with about something they might want to do in their future,” he said. “It lets them know what is required to be an engineer or a medical assistant.”

Catholic Schools Week is similarly worthwhile.

“We do a good job of education children, and we give them spirituality that they may not be exposed to at home or their churches,” he said. “Catholic Schools Week gives us an opportunity to do that in ways that we are not able to do in the classrooms.”

White said she loved the spiritual aspect of the week, and she was part of the group that launched a Cathedral School colored balloon rosary into the sky.

“I was just happy that it actually went up in the air,” she said with a laugh. “We worked really hard on it, so it gave us a sense of accomplishment to see it work.

“I think it is a really special thing that the school does. There are not many schools where you can pray, much less have a Rosary flying out of the school.”