Fifth Graders Answer the Call to Love and Serve Others

During the hectic first weeks of school, Episcopal Lower School families generously donated school supplies for partner school Melrose Elementary. It’s a tradition that’s been ongoing for at least seven years. It goes hand-in-hand with what the fifth graders are learning in Religion class.

The students are learning about how and why we serve others. By reading Scripture and discussing the parable of the Good Samaritan, they made the connection that by serving others, in this case, donating school supplies to students who need them, they’re loving others - and that’s the greatest lesson of all. 
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On Friday, August 30, the twelve students in my first-quarter fifth grade Religion class loaded all of the boxes of donated supplies onto a school bus for a special in-person delivery. 

​“We loaded so many boxes of paper, markers, notebooks, binders, glue, scissors, pencils, backpacks, crayons, markers, and more!” exclaimed fifth grader Natalie Reimann. “We realized that our school families had donated tons of school supplies. It almost filled up half of the bus!” 

Once they arrived at Melrose, the students met with Principal Olga Pack, ELA Content Leader Bianca Plummer, Counselor Seana Mercer, Math Content Leader Florence Bonton, Instructional Specialist Shanika Griffin, and Assistant Principal Brandi Brister. After delivering supplies to the auditorium of the school, the fifth graders were excited to go on a tour of Melrose. 

The students were also excited to learn that Melrose has a theme every year just like Episcopal. The theme this year is “Every student glows!” Fifth grader Lilliana Latour reflected upon the experience: “As we got back on the bus to go back to Episcopal, we felt a glowing happiness that we did something wonderful. We were so glad to be part of the experience.”
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“This experience warmed our hearts because we did something good for the community,” said fifth grader Tripp Veillon.

​Fifth graders in the first quarter Religion class are Ainsley Ebey, Lucy Fasullo, Diya Kankar, Patrick Kelly,  Lilianna Latour, Daniel Lindsay, Nate McLean, Piper Perenack, Natalie Reimann, Andrew Richard, Hudson Spender, and Tripp Veillon.
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The faculty, staff, and students at Melrose along with Episcopal fifth graders, wish to thank all of the Lower School families who donated so graciously.

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Jenny Heroman Koenig

​Jenny Heroman Koenig is a proud 2001 graduate of Episcopal School of Baton Rouge.  She returned to her alma mater as a Lower School Religion Teacher. Jenny earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in mass communication with a minor in sociology from Louisiana State University.  She has eleven years of experience as a television journalist in Baton Rouge and Gonzales. Jenny always had a desire to teach and eventually followed that calling by earning a teacher certification from the Teach Ascension Academy Certification Program.  Jenny began her teaching career as a second grade teacher at Donaldsonville Primary School. Jenny is also active in the community as a member of the Louisiana Association of Educators, the Louisiana Association of Broadcasters, Baton Rouge Women in Media and the Louisiana Film and Entertainment Association.  She has received numerous honors including the 2014 Individual of the Year Award from the Ascension Chamber of Commerce and the opportunity to be the Honorary Ascension Parish President on “Jenny Heroman Day”. When she’s not teaching, Jenny enjoys theatre and music and is the lead singer of the Something Blue Band.