A Day with Father Tony and Lucia Hola. Cómo estás? Mucho gusto! The hand reaches out with a firm grasp as the eyes twinkle and the smile opens wide. This is Father Tony. Wherever he goes, he reaches out to every person he sees and places them at the center of his attention. Father Tony is a little man in stature but a large man in spirit. Following him around CFS last Thursday I learned so much about CFS, the values of our school, and the rewards of engaging with the world outside our doors. For the past three years, the freshman class has traveled to Newton Grove, North Carolina, to complete service projects under the auspices of the Episcopal Farmworkers Ministry. When Rob LaVelle and I looked for a service organization for 30 14 year­olds three years ago, most turned us down. But not Father Tony! He accepted us with open arms. Ask any student from the sophomore to senior classes about Newton Grove and they will tell you that it changed the way they look at the issue of immigration, work in America, community, service, and coming together as a class. Father Tony and his wife, Lucia, arrived at the Upper School on Wednesday, just in time for our Silent Meeting. They met with the freshman class and then parents at a pot luck event that evening. On Thursday they returned to spend the morning in classes and visit the rest of the school. In my homeroom that morning, junior Juliette expertly translated for Father Tony. (Mind you, Juliette is already fluent in two languages – French and English). Father Tony will say that his English is not that good, but I think that this is a strategy to actively engage students in his teachings. During first period, senior Virginia took over as translator. In Jon's Foundations of Literature class, Father Tony and Lucia met with 13 ninth graders who will be heading to Newton Grove as part of their End of Year Experience. During the class, Father Tony explained to the students who the migrant farmers are, why they come to work in North Carolina, what their living conditions are like, and ways in which the students will be helping during their 2 week stay. It was a great opportunity for the students to learn more about the workers and about Father Tony’s giving presence and wonderful sense of humor. The next stop was Guillermo’s Spanish III class, where Father Tony kept up a lively conversation in Spanish the entire time, covering a variety of topics. He even taught students how to roll their Rs by saying “aterrisar!” Next was a tour. I had the great pleasure of taking Father Tony and Lucia on a long walk from the Upper to the Middle to the Lower to the Campus Early schools. And here’s what I saw. Everywhere, students were actively engaged in learning. Whether they were reading, writing, listening to a lesson, or playing a cooperative game, I didn’t see one bored or disengaged student. And everywhere, students wanted to talk to him. In the Middle School one student asked Father
Tony, “Do you know about our conflict resolution class?” and proceeded to explain the goal of the class and the meaning of the game they were playing. She knew exactly what they were trying to accomplish that day. In Annie’s “Wishes for the World” dance class, Marlin (our senior from Nicaragua) and Father Tony engaged in a rapid­fire exchange about the process of creating dance. In the Lower School we met our three pot­belly pigs and in the Early School one student exclaimed proudly, “This is my school!” I was especially impressed with how welcoming teachers were with our visits. They happily met Father Tony and Lucia, and told us a bit about their classes that day. At the end of the tour, freshman Dan helped Father Tony and Lucia carry the many posters and handouts back to their car as we wished them a fond farewell. Father Tony and Lucia ended their day at CFS by going out to lunch at Taquieria Mi Pueblo with Rob LaVelle’s Spanish II class. He reflected that being at CFS for the day gave him a new appreciation for our students and a better understanding of who they are. The day also gave me a new appreciation for our continuing work with the Episcopal Farmworkers Ministry and Father Tony. He is a true man of service, genuine, honest, and sincere in his efforts to reach out and support the migrant population of North Carolina. If he had chosen a career in business, he would probably be a millionaire now. But though Father Tony has little in material wealth today, he is rich in spirit, friendship, and community. He has changed the lives of thousands of people, including our students at CFS. Everywhere he went at CFS, Father Tony voiced that our mission and his are one and the same. He marveled at the sense of community at CFS. “Cherish your time here,” he advised students. “You have a true community here with friendship at its core. This school is unique and very special.” We are already looking forward to the next time Father Tony and Lucia will greet us with their warm smiles and open hearts. ­­ Susan Kincaid