ACHS students turn local women into queens for a day

Everyone likes to be treated as a king or queen even for one day. The very idea that you are acknowledged as a special person for no reason at all is indeed a gift. That’s just what Carol Pearce, a teacher at Ascension Catholic, has done.

Showing up on the door steps with flowers and balloons in hand and a box of goodies for a few of our elderly adults in the community, a group of sophomores turned local women into queens for a day. The students visited three homebound women in the community to show them that they are not forgotten.

The first queen to get a visit from the students was Ms. Ruby, an 89-year-old woman who lives with her daughter in Donaldsonville. The students packed her living room and sang her a song while offering flowers, balloons, and a goodie basket.

The next stop was to see Ms. Hilda, who is 83 and lives in the Donaldsonville Seniors Apartments. She was so thrilled to have visitors, as she said staying in the apartment because of medical needs can get lonely.

"You don't see many faces in this place," Hilda said. "You just see the walls."

Hilda clapped and smiled as the students brought gifts and sang songs for her. Also an artist, she showed off some of her paintings to her guests. Beaming from ear to ear, she shared her positivity with the high schoolers, and everyone left with a smile on their faces.

The group ran into a hiccup in their final stop, but it turned out to be a blessing bigger than anyone imagined. The last queen-to-be was at Donaldsonville Dialysis, but the students learned upon their arrival that she had been taken to the hospital and was in no condition to see visitors.

As teachers were trying to figure out what to do, they learned that a woman in the waiting room of the facility had recently lost her son and could use a blessing. That's how Ms. Angella became the third queen for a day.

Tears ran down the faces of everyone in the room as the students presented the new queen with flowers and balloons. There was not a dry eye in sight as the students sang "Amazing Grace" to Ms. Angella. She welcomed hugs from the students as they made their way out. One girl, who had also suffered a loss and related to Ms. Angella's pain, knelt down to pray for hope and healing.

It was truly a remarkable day not only for the queens, but the students as well. When the women opened their doors and saw the students smiling faces, it brought both laughter and tears. Many asked why. The answer was simply because God loves you. The students wanted to make their neighbors feel like they are wanted and to spread love in the community.

Pearce teaches religion at ACHS and wants the kids to have a hands-on approach when it comes to understanding the gift of giving. She sends these students off to learn an important life lesson. Along with the surprises each queen received, the students also walked away with something. They walked away with the gift of giving.

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