Deeley is Student for a Day at St. Dom’s as part of Maine Catholic School Week

PHOTO: Portland Catholic Diocese Bishop Robert Deeley creates a structure using marshmallows and toothpicks with second-graders at St. Dominic Academy in Lewiston, where he was student of the day as part of Maine Catholic Schools Week. (Submitted photo)

LEWISTON – “Okay, let’s add the paint to the water, not the baby oil. I think that’s important,” and with that, Bishop Robert Deeley was off and running, collaborating with his young colleagues in the kindergarten classroom as they carefully followed the instructions for “blizzard in a jar.”
“Someone drop the Alka-Seltzer in,” Deeley said. “Who hasn’t had a turn yet?”
Moments later, the jar of water, baby oil, paint, glitter, and Alka-Seltzer combined and produced a small, bubbly storm
The project was one of many that Deeley took part in during his visit to the elementary campus of St. Dominic Academy on Feb. 1, one of the many highlights of the school’s celebration of Maine Catholic Schools Week.
Deeley visited St. Dom’s on Red, White, and Blue Day, when patriotic signs and outfits were the orders of the day, as was Deeley’s participation as Student for a Day.
In a first-grade classroom, he tried his hand at Bible bingo, coming up one spot short of victory when “David” or the “Ten Commandments” weren’t called in time.
In second grade, he and his fellow students used marshmallows and toothpicks to design a standing object in a short period of time.
In third grade, Deeley and teammate the Rev. Patrick Finn, of Prince of Peace Parish were named “most improved” between games one and two of 99Math, a game that tests computation and facts.
In fourth grade, the bishop squared off against the kids in a game of online Bible trivia.
In fifth grade, Deeley and students created hexagons with their names as centerpieces as part of a geometry project.
Pre-kindergartners also welcomed Deeley, who worked with them on their large friendship tree, which features each of their handprints and pictures. Sister Francesca Silver, FSE, a campus minister at the academy, also added her handprint at the request of the children.
Before departing, Deeley read, “If Jesus Lived Inside My Heart” to the students.
Lewiston campus Principal J.P. Yorkey joined Deeley, as did Marianne Pelletier, superintendent of Maine Catholic Schools and Suzanne Lafreniere, director of public policy for the Diocese of Portland.