What's Happening in Cougar Country

Historically, as both the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays approach, volunteerism and charitable giving peak compared to other times throughout the calendar year.

Lake Catholic High School is no different. 

The entire school participates in Socktober throughout October. Led by Visual Arts Department Chair Mrs. Kelly Wolf, students, faculty, and staff collect socks and money for donation to several local charities.

On Monday of this week, the Class of 2026 took part in the 51st annual Turkey Day event. What had started back in 1974 as a Thanksgiving feast for friends to enjoy each other as an entire class has turned into much more for Lake Catholic students, as they live out one of the school’s core values – its willingness to serve.

And next week, on the National Day of Giving, the school community will once again participate in #weGiveCatholic, which is the school’s largest single-day of giving, and benefits all current students.

Although students have always been called to serve and give back throughout all four years at Lake Catholic, Mrs. Beth Paskey, who joined the faculty this school year, is enriching that commitment in new ways. She’s making service more accessible, more visible, and more woven into everyday school life.

Paskey, who’s been in Catholic education for the past 34 years, including the last 17 years at St. Gabriel, teaches Freshmen Theology during the morning and then serves as the school’s service coordinator throughout the afternoon – not that those roles are exclusive of each other.

“When this job became available, and the way it’s structured, it was a no-brainer for me,” Paskey said. “A life of service is what we’re called to live. Watching the students get involved and help others is what I enjoy the most. Taking time out of school and helping others in a different environment – it’s very rewarding for me to see.”

Outside of Turkey Day, where nearly a dozen locations were visited by the senior class, students of all grade levels have made multiple trips to Birthright Lake, Inc., Brookdale Senior Living, and the St. Gabriel Food Pantry. Students have also been to the Warehouse of HOPE, participated in both a Living Rosary at St. Gabriel School and the Respect Life Day planned by the Catholic Schools for Peace and Justice Network, and helped out at the Special Sports Halloween Party hosted right here at Lake Catholic. 

So far, 103 students have participated in 15 projects, averaging approximately 154.5 hours of service. Turkey Day accounted for another 111 students at 12 locations for about 2.5 hours of service each.

All that in three-plus months of school. And that’s not even counting any service the students do on their own.

“We want service to become the norm,” Paskey said. “We want the students to want to do these things, and not something they have to do to check the box, so to speak.”

The school does have service requirements for the students to graduate. A minimum of 50 hours – 10 hours as a freshman, 15 hours as both a sophomore and junior, and another 10 hours as a senior – is the minimum. To earn the service cord to be worn at the commencement ceremony, a student must have at least 80 hours of service.

“Right now, I work a lot with the freshmen because that’s who I teach,” Paskey said. “To some of the upperclassmen, I’m just a name on an email. But I’m already making plans for the second semester and would love to take kids to different places at least two days a week.”

Some students have even reached out to Paskey with their own ideas for service. A group of students approached her about going to play music at different locations. 

“This is not just a me thing,” she said. “Students can come up with their own plans, and I’ll help arrange them in any way I can.”

With Paskey’s leadership and the students’ growing enthusiasm, service at Lake Catholic continues to evolve—not as an obligation, but as a shared way of life.