St. Benedict is thrilled to announce a truly heartwarming achievement; we raised an incredible $28,256.55 for the Sudbury Food Bank! Each dollar brings us one step closer to ensuring that families in Sudbury are supported.

The Bears Food Drive was a true example of what can happen when inspiration, collaboration, and generosity come together. Inspired by the dedication and leadership of teacher Emi Mardero and Educational Assistant Michelle Dey, this initiative quickly grew into a meaningful project that engaged not only our school, but our elementary schools and community partners.

Ms. Mardero and Ms. Dey played a vital role throughout the food drive. From the very beginning, they encouraged students to understand the importance of giving, especially during the Christmas season. Through conversations in the classroom, class competitions, and daily encouragement, these teachers helped students see how small acts of kindness can make a significant impact for families in need.

As Michelle Dey shared, “It was incredible to see our students realize that they have the power to make a real difference. This food drive wasn’t just about collecting cans—it was about teaching compassion, responsibility, and service to others.”

A key highlight of this year’s food drive was the collaboration with St. Francis, St. David, and Holy Cross. Our students took on leadership roles by visiting these schools to deliver exciting and engaging promotions. Their energy and enthusiasm inspired younger students to get involved, motivating them to bring in donations and canned goods and feel proud to be part of a greater cause.

Emi Mardero reflected on this teamwork, saying, “Watching our students step into leadership roles and inspire other schools was truly special. It showed how powerful collaboration can be when we work together for a common goal.”

Back at our own school, the excitement continued. Friendly class competitions added fun and motivation, while reinforcing the message of compassion and community responsibility. Students rallied together with a shared goal, supported by teachers who consistently encouraged them to see the importance of giving to the greater community.

Student Lucas Gutscher shared his experience, “Being part of the food drive made me realize how much of an impact we can have as a team. Bagging groceries and collecting donations was hard work, but seeing the community come together was amazing. I’m proud to be part of something that really helps others.”

To cap off the experience, our students volunteered their time at Messier’s Independent and Chris’ Independent, where they bagged groceries and collected donations from the community. Their hard work, positive attitudes, and willingness to serve did not go unnoticed. These days were an incredible success and a powerful reminder of the impact our students can have beyond school walls.

“I am deeply grateful to our dedicated staff, our amazing students, supportive families, and generous community partners. Together, we have truly lived our faith by reaching out to those in need and sharing the spirit of hope and kindness. This compassion and commitment remind us that the greatest gift we can give is our faith in action.”— Mrs. Belanger, Principal

The Bears Food Drive truly displayed the spirit of generosity, teamwork, and leadership. Thanks to the inspiration of dedicated teachers, the collaboration of our elementary schools, the commitment of our students and our community partners, this year’s food drive was a meaningful success raising $28,256.55.  This accomplishment truly reflects the genuine spirit of giving in the Bears Den.

Last year, around this time, the newly formed FIRST Robotics team at St. Benedict Catholic Secondary School gathered around a box of parts and contemplated where to begin. With a group of students relatively new to robotics, and roughly a year ahead of them before their first competition, their first goal was simple: build a robot and get it to move, if only an inch. 

Fast forward to November 2025, and the team has far exceeded that humble objective. Not only did they successfully design and build a fully functioning robot, they built two of them, and their hard work, creativity, and persistence paid off in a big way as they captured first place at the FIRST Tech Challenge Regional Competition. 

Teams participating in the FIRST Tech Challenge work together to design, build, code, and operate robots that face off in alliance-style competitions. With support from coaches and mentors, participants strengthen their STEM abilities and apply real engineering practices, such as documenting their progress in an engineering notebook, to robotics challenges. Along the way, they gain an appreciation for collaboration, creativity, and the effort required to bring their big ideas to life. 

Teacher and Team Coach Loretta Cuda praised her team’s ability to work together and think quickly under pressure. “Our goal was just to get the robot to move, so to see them come together, mentor new grade 9s in our club . . . and score the most points out of all the teams there, I am extremely proud. Was I expecting to be slated for second and then become the winning alliance? No. I am blown away. This team is good at taking criticism and knowing where they need to improve, and I think the whole community is proud of this team and what they’ve done,” she said.  

Grade 12 student Michael Phillips shared how the experience brought the group closer than they ever expected. “Aside from learning more about robotics, I think we really came together and learned what it means to be a team,” he said. “It’s one thing to plan for what we’ll do if a problem comes up with the robot, but on the actual competition day, we learned to put everything aside and work toward a common goal. Each person thought about what they could contribute to help us win.” 

For many students, the competition also opened their eyes to the broader scope of skills required in robotics. Grade 12 student David Akero said the event pushed the team beyond just mechanical and technical work. “The thing about this competition is that it’s not just about how well our robot performs,” he explained. “It’s also about how our business team performs, what our outreach was, how our presentation goes, and how we can share more about our story. There’s a lot of documenting too, that was something we lacked before, but this time it’s something we’re really going to focus on.” 

Akero added that the structure of the challenge reflects real-world expectations. “The way they format the competition, it’s basically like running a business. Some people look for sponsors, others build specific parts. Some of us have to work on public speaking or take part in interviews or understand financial aspects. The organizers included all of that. There’s something for everyone here, and you come out of it better than when you started.” 

Director of Education, Morris Hucal, praised the team on their success. “Congratulations to the St. Benedict FIRST Robotics team on their remarkable achievement at the FIRST Tech Challenge Regional Competition. This win reflects the dedication, creativity, and problem-solving skills that define our Sudbury Catholic students. STEM education continues to be a key focus for our board, and it’s inspiring to see how initiatives like robotics are preparing students for the future. The continued growth of robotics programs across our schools highlights our commitment to hands-on learning and innovation. Congratulations once again to the students, mentors, and educators who made this success possible.” 

For more information on programs and teams at St. Benedict Catholic secondary School, visit https://st-benedict.sudburycatholicschools.ca/.  

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