Central offers a variety of different mission trips throughout the year. Students can go to West Virginia in the Appalachian mountains to help people who have housing issues. Others may choose to go to Montana where they can tutor children on an Native American reservation. Still others can go to New Jersey where they help with families who are struggling to support themselves. And some teachers offer students the opportunity to go on mission trips with groups outside of school. But why is this important?

Central has stayed true to its motto of “Faith, Scholarship, and Service” over the years and students partaking in mission trips is one way that this motto is carried out. Mission trips are not only for the people being helped but also for the students who sacrifice time and money to change someone’s life. Learning about the culture is very important and a big reason why the school encourages students to try gong on a mission trip at least once during their time at central. In Montana for example, students speak to elders in the Blackfeet tribe on the reservation. They learn about the native language, the problems that the Indians have faced in the past and still face today. They also learn about their religion, which is very similar to Catholicism.

During many mission trips students make friends with the people they meet in the neighborhood that they are working in. This is another important aspect of the mission trip and something that the students always remember when they return home. This is a good example of how the motto ties in. Faith is instilled within each student during his time at central no matter what religion or race he is. God works in different ways in everyone’s life, and gives us the courage to carry out his will. This faith that we have helps us to better ourselves and other while on the mission trip. During these journeys students also make new friendships with their classmates, whether they are in the same grade or not. Whether it’s spending a few hours together or a whole week there is always a new bond created by the students who sacrifice themselves.

Obviously the main portion of missions trips is to serve, which is also part of the school motto. We are pushed to serve by our peers, friends, family, and most importantly God. They all want us to experience not only what is out in the world but also what is hidden away in our hearts. By opening up to completely unknown environments students learn about themselves more than anything else. Mission trips can be an eye opening experience and it is always important to take part in these trips if the option is given to you because they help us grow as men, and better understand our own school motto.