WILLIAMSPORT – Saint John Neumann Regional Academy students, faculty, and administrators celebrated Martin Luther King Jr. Day with an in-person learning day on Jan. 19, 2026, filled with faith, service, and fun.
“It’s a basic tenet of Christianity – and a deep part of Catholicism – that we’re called to meet Christ in the hungry, the thirsty, the homeless and the stranger,” Father Glenn McCreary, pastor of Saint Boniface and Saint Ann Parishes, said. “Our day of service reflected MLK’s life mission as well as the Church’s mission to the world.”
This was the first year Saint John Neumann Regional Academy held a student school day on MLK Day since it became a national holiday.
“This has been a goal of mine for many years. It is important that students learn about and share their time and talents with others on this day,” explained Principal Alisia McNamee. “Martin Luther King Day is more than a celebration of his importance to civil rights and peaceful protest. We wanted our students to show how important MLK’s message about service resonates throughout our lives and within our Catholic beliefs.”
Dr. Chad Greevy, Assistant Principal and Curriculum Director added, “We had over 200 students participating in morning Mass, and every SJNRA student provided service at our local food bank; provided the collection of products, assimilation, and distribution of hygiene-care packages to local soup kitchens; helped with projects around Saint Boniface Parish; or wrote thank you cards to community service heroes for our Catholic Schools Week project.”
CATHOLIC FIRST
Students gathered before the normal start time of their school day, to join Saint Boniface parishioners for daily Mass followed by a message from Williamsport Mayor Derek Slaughter.
The 8:00 a.m. Mass was attended by parishioners, SJNRA parents and family members, community leaders, and SJNRA PreK-3 through Grade 12 students.
During his homily, Father McCreary spoke about the importance of Dr. King’s message of equality and service and how it helped to shape our nation’s pathway.
However, he also explained how King and others like him “stood on the shoulders of others before him … including many black Catholic saints.”
Father McCreary referenced saints like St. Martin de Porres, St. Josephine Bakhita, St. Augustine of Hippo, and St. Benedict the Moor. He also spoke about six African Americans who are on the path to sainthood, including Servant of God Julia Greeley and Venerable Mother Henriette Delille.
“Thea Bowman, as an educator and musician, used her voice to highlight the beauty of African American church music and to speak about justice to the American Bishops,” Father McCreary said.
Following Mass, Mayor Slaughter, spoke to those in attendance about the needs of the community and the necessity for giving back.
Slaughter shared how volunteerism can be impactful to a community and emphasized how St. John Neumann’s Day-of-Service “is a day we serve those less fortunate than us.”
HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS VOLUNTEER LOCALLY
Following Mass, students in grades 9-12 headed to the Central Pennsylvania Food Bank to begin their service to the community.
However, students and teachers were not the only ones sacrificing their time and day off to work at the food bank.
Employee Ryan Watts, Volunteer Projects Coordinator, was the lone employee that morning. He came in on his “day off” to serve alongside the Neumann High School students and faculty. Watts shared that “roughly 430 groups a year volunteer” at the food bank.
“The kids did great. I feel that it’s important to encourage the younger generations to do good things for their community,” Watts said.
Watts related that this was the first time a group had come in on MLK Day to volunteer, and he has already invited Saint John Neumann back for its Day-of-Service on the same holiday next year.
“Saint John Neumann tries to volunteer there three or four times a year with groups of students. I think today changed the perception for some of our kids. A few were hesitant to attend not knowing what to expect, but after an hour and a half and four pallets of packed food boxes for veterans later, we showed Neumann’s passion for care and our energy to help others,” Dr. Greevy shared.
MIDDLE SCHOOL INVITES SPEAKER, SERVES OTHERS
Middle School students began their morning of service with an interactive lecture and applied activity with Melodie Shaw.
Shaw, the Former Executive Director of the Campbell Street Family & Youth Center at the Williamsport Community Center from 2006-2010, spoke about Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s sacrifice for today’s society and how his actions and words helped to inspire students and adults alike.
Jennifer McPherson, Director of Guidance, related that Shaw shared with students about “how to respond to adversity peacefully.”
She cited the March for Civil Rights that MLK led as well as other events.
“Martin Luther King sacrificed himself for people of all ages, cultures, and genders,” eighth grader Quillen McPherson said.
Quillen made the connection that “Jesus and even some Catholic saints” made similiar sacrifices.
“We heard that we have to learn about our ancestors’ mistakes. Without learning from each other, we will make the same mistakes. Doing what people like MLK did helps us understand their sacrifices better,” the Neumann middle schooler explained.
Ann Wilson, Saint John Neumann High School Secretary and 1983 Neumann alumna commented, “From my observation, even the hardest to engage students were one hundred percent on board with the projects they were assigned, and I witnessed some great camaraderie in the hallways between High School and Junior High students.
GRADES 3-5 ASSIST WITH ST. BONIFACE PROJECTS
The upper elementary students wrote their own prayers for their Peace Tree and helped Father McCreary organize, clean, and assemble thousands of plastic Easter eggs used for parish and community Easter egg hunts.
“Our students took on a bigger task than expected putting together Easter eggs for Saint Boniface and helped in organizing areas of the church campus,” Arianna Scutt, fourth grade teacher, said.
Fifth graders studied the “I Have a Dream” speech and discussed its importance.
They also learned that Dr. King spoke locally at Lycoming College, adjacent to the Saint Boniface campus, in April 1958.
“Our students did multiple activities during the week. We were busy, but it was good busy. We helped the church, learned about Dr. King’s message, and made connections between his message of service and how simple services can make big impacts,” added third grade teacher Sara Meixel.
YOUNGEST STUDENTS WRITE LETTERS TO HEROES
SJNRA Primary students also discussed the legacy of MLK Jr. and his teachings. Teachers developed a curriculum that taught students that a “legacy” is the impression of what you or someone else leaves behind.
“It’s what people will remember you for. We had the honor of bringing action to this legacy, which made them very excited, by making cards for our local heroes. This paired with the lesson they had on community helpers,” Shayna McNamee, Pre-K 3 teacher, explained. “We centered our learning around MLK’s quote that ‘Everybody can be great, because everybody can serve.’”
She added, “Jesus came up multiple times in our conversations. When learning about MLK and the kindness he shared, a Pre-K student even said, ‘like Jesus.’ It was perfect.”
The letters, cards and pictures were delivered along with ‘Thank You Baskets’ during Catholic Schools Week to local fire companies, police departments, nurses, and the local armory. Provisions for the baskets were donated by SJNRA families as part of MLK Day and Catholic School Week.
“I witnessed some great camaraderie in the hallways. I feel that this day was completely beneficial to our students allowing them to learn in a hands-on way, what service to your community can be,” Wilson said. “We showed our students many different ways to serve that day, and our Neumann Knights approached all tasks with greatness. I believe that our Academy had another moment of excellence that day. May there be many more!”
For more information about Saint John Neumann Regional Academy or to inquire about Admissions and Enrollment contact: admissions@sjnra.org or call (570) 323-9953.
For more information about the Central Pennsylvania Food Bank, located at 3301 Yahoo Drive, Williamsport, call (570) 321-8023, or to contact Volunteer Projects Coordinator Ryan Watts, call (570) 980-9079 or email him at rwatts@centralpafoodbank.org.