News Updates

  • Meet Our 2019-2020 Jesuit Volunteers!

    This year, we are pleased to welcome two new Jesuit Volunteers: Kaitlyn DeVeydt and Scott Henderson. Kaitlyn is a graduate of Boston College. She boasts a Bachelor’s Degree in English and a French/Creative Writing Minor. Scott grew up in Massachusetts and also graduated from Boston College as a Neuroscience Major on a Pre-Med track. Both Kaitlyn and Scott are delighted to have the opportunity to empower our ERLH youth. Each year, the Jesuit Volunteer Corps provides two full-time youth coordinators to work at the Margaret Donnelly O’Connor Education Center. Jesuit Volunteers commit to one year of post-college service where the need is greatest and to live in apostolic community with other Jesuit Volunteers.

    Published on September 2nd, 2019 in Margaret Donnelly O'Connor Education Center | Read more »

  • Cultivating Love for Music Is Most Rewarding Experience

    By Jesuit Volunteer Peter O’Brien

    I knew I wanted to utilize my love of music and bring it to the Margaret Donnelly O’Connor Education Center. Everything from private lessons for the kids to a jam session with the teens has helped me to form a deeper connection and love for the community and the work we do. At the beginning of the year, I ran a music club that slowly developed into private lessons. These lessons become far more than just learning an instrument: they are an opportunity to sit down and talk about what is going on in life, share stories, and truly get to know the person sitting across from me. Watching students cultivate a love for an instrument and being a part of that has been one of the most rewarding experiences.

    Published on May 1st, 2019 in Margaret Donnelly O'Connor Education Center | Read more »

  • Self-Care/Resiliency Workshop A Big Draw

    One of our major 2019 initiatives has been to address the socio-emotional issues of the students. Our first event this year was a Teen Suicide Prevention workshop, jointly hosted by MDOC and Ethel Lawrence resident Nicole Yancey. The purpose of the workshop was to educate our youth on this important topic and equip them with tangible techniques to promote healing and self-care rather than harm. The topics discussed included: bullying, school stress, and family relationships.

    Published on March 31st, 2019 in Margaret Donnelly O'Connor Education Center | Read more »

  • 2019 Job Readiness Workshop Draws Nice Crowd

    Back by popular demand, on March 21st, 2019, the Margaret Donnelly O’Connor Education Center hosted our Second Job Readiness Workshop in the Ethel Lawrence Executive Conference Room. The purpose of the workshop was to educate a new crop of attending students on the skills necessary to obtain gainful employment, from the initial job search to the acceptance of an offer. During the workshop, we covered three main areas: resume preparation, interview etiquette, and professional behavior while on the job.This year, we were fortunate to have a corporate recruiter on site to provide tips and tricks to creating stellar resumes.

    Published on March 21st, 2019 in Fair Share Housing Development | Read more »

  • Learning From Nation’s ‘Thought Leaders’ in After-School Care

    Michael Morris, Margaret Donnelly O’Connor Education Director, reflects on national conference which is inspiring him to develop new programs to benefit our kids. He especially enjoyed the talk by Harlem Children’s Zone founder Geoffrey Canada: “It was incredibly inspiring to hear how that, when Harlem Children’s Zone was starting out, the premier afterschool program in the country faced many of the same struggles that we face.”

    Published on March 4th, 2019 in Fair Share Housing Development | Read more »