Servant Leaders

Living as disciples of Jesus, members of our community strive to embody what Jesus taught and how he lived.

Serving others first was central to Jesus’ message and ministry. “…just as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life a ransom for many.” (Matthew 20:28)

The servant model, established by Jesus, was popularized and secularized in the twentieth century by Robert Greenleaf, who coined the phrase “servant leadership.” Someone who has a natural feeling to want to serve and then makes a conscious choice to lead represents the concept of servant leadership. The ten characteristics of a servant leader, as described by Greenleaf, include:

Listening Empathy Healing Awareness Persuasion

Conceptualization Foresight Stewardship Commitment to the Growth of People Community Building

BSM is proud to highlight people who embody the mission of Jesus through their leadership.



Jen Deglmann

It seems like it would take a very special person to be able to inspire an archbishop. Meet Jen Deglmann.

At BSM’s Ash Wednesday Mass, Jen shared her story of being an abandoned, premature baby in the Ukraine, prior to her adoption at age 15 months. Thinking of her own difficult beginning, she easily connected to a class presentation given last year by 1980 BSM graduate Bob Solis, who founded an orphanage in South Africa. “His cause really resonated with me. I feel called to do this…to show these children that they are loved,” says Jen. Stirred to respond compassionately, Jen jumped into action. She approached BSM faculty members to see if a Common Basket collection could be planned for this organization. That collection was taken on Ash Wednesday, with Jen offering a testimony on the importance of supporting this cause. She emphasized to her fellow students that “God has a plan for all of us,” just as Jen’s mom, dad and Bob—“heroes” in Jen’s eyes, “took it upon themselves to fulfill God’s plan.” Encouraging prayers and financial offerings for the collection, Jen explained, “We do these things not as charity, but as a contribution to another person’s life.” While Jen spoke, former archbishop Harry Flynn presided, and he shared with Jen afterward how much her testimony had moved him.

But Jen’s work isn’t done. Wanting to form a more personal bond with these young children, she has organized a Spring Break trip, along with four other senior girls and two easily convinced faculty chaperones, to visit Bob’s orphanage, Open Arms. Together, the group will present Open Arms with BSM’s Common Basket donation, as well as toys and special items.

Although the media has begun to cover to this story, Jen is quick to clarify that the attention must be focused on Open Arms and the children in care there. Soon, they too, will see for themselves what a special servant leader Jen Deglmann is.

Ironically, a skill that junior Diana Hurley’s grandma taught her five years ago is something that Diana now teaches, and shares with, other grandmas. With knitting needles in tow, Diana visits Minnetonka’s Sunrise assisted living center every Monday afternoon to knit and visit with residents there. “It’s so interesting to hear the stories they have to tell, of how their life compares to mine now,” says Diana. Describing

Diana knits with one of her Sunrise friends.

it as if it were any typically teenage activity, she adds, “We just hang out.”

That “hanging out” time is clearly valued by the residents. Sunrise’s activity and volunteer coordinator, Gretchen Omdahl, writes that Diana “is fabulous. She has patience that I have not seen before in a girl of her age. She has handled herself so well in dealing with memory loss, cognitive disabilities, and physical disabilities. She shows up on time and truly gets to the heart of my residents. I feel she has been a gift to my residents. They look forward to her being here and miss her when she is gone!”

Diana’s life is becoming intertwined with the residents, not only emotionally, but in a tangible way as well. Each of the knitters is helping to make squares for an afghan, which will remain at the center for any of the residents to use. And since Diana has blocked off her Mondays through graduation for the purpose of meeting with these new friends of hers, the warmth produced might be quite plentiful.

Mel Ikola

Mel, with some of the Treasure Hunt donations.

Anyone who has ever organized a garage sale knows how much work goes into it. While our Parent Association sponsors our annual Treasure Hunt garage sale with the help of many wonderful adult volunteers, one student in particular has also become a key component to the event’s success. Motivated by her mom—a regular Treasure Hunt volunteer, senior Mel Ikola became involved in the project as a seventh grader. Five years later, she is still going strong. Serving as the student coordinator, she has attended virtually every Treasure Hunt meeting with the adult volunteers during her Red Knight years, and has rolled up her sleeves, helping to receive, sort, display, and of course, sell the items. “It’s just so much fun working with all of the different people,” says Mel.

Treasure Hunt is not the only way that Mel offers help to the people and projects she encounters. Last year, she gave numerous hours, volunteering at an assisted living center. An avid musher, Mel even shared a presentation with the residents about her dog sledding adventures. Additionally, she has taught kids in a summer Spanish program, co-chaired hygiene product drives for the Guatemala mission trip and assisted with the labyrinth at school. She admits, “I’m just the type where I put off my own thing if someone needs a hand.”

That’s exactly what makes Mel such a great servant leader. Quietly, and without fanfare, she jumps in wherever needed. What she describes as “random stuff” creates random smiles on those around her, making her a very treasured Red Knight.

Mike “Grillmaster” Geer

Mike shows that he's comfortable in front of a stove.

Over a year ago, Mike Geer’s Service Leadership class explored options for volunteering in the Twin Cities. One place in particular, House of Charity, piqued his interest. He began volunteering there, and when his semester requirements were completed, he says, “I just kept going back.” For more than a year now, Mike has dedicated 4-6 hours nearly every Saturday morning at this soup kitchen. “I’d rather be helping there than sleeping in,” he admits.

And help he does. When other volunteers often prefer to serve meals, Mike can be found washing dishes or organizing the messy storage room. However, neither those efforts nor his own financial support and fundraising initiatives for House of Charity represent Mike’s true claim to fame.

When the regular cook was out with an injury one day, Mike took hold of the apron strings and began an egg-frying frenzy. It wasn’t long before he had mastered Denver omelets and French toast, but he is especially known for making a mean grilled cheese. With a sly smirk, he states that at House of Charity, “They know me as the grillmaster.”

Mike doesn’t expect a call from the Food Network anytime soon, though. “I don’t think that three dishes will get me on a cooking channel.” Plus, feeling that he works better under pressure, he prefers to share his culinary craft with crowds of hundreds rather than with familiar friends and family.

He’ll keep his spatula handy if he decides to stay in the Twin Cities for college, knowing that he will continue his weekend pastime. And if he whisks away for college, he will resume his grilling duties during breaks. After all, he says, “It’s the only place I’m allowed to cook.”

Front (l-r): Ally Rhoades, Sidney Pilarski, Sarah Kopp, Danon Briggs, Morgan Rogers; Back (l-r): Catherine Ruekert, Michael Gerten, Kelsey Lanz, Claire Hayden, Matthew Frank, Tahiel Jimenez; Not showing: Myles Anderson

While many students were enjoying a well-deserved, relaxing break over MEA weekend, 12 Red Knights loaded a bus and headed to Iowa, Illinois and Missouri for BSM’s second annual Pay It Forward trip. BSM students included Myles Anderson, Danon Briggs, Matthew Frank, Michael Gerten, Claire Hayden, Kelsey Lanz, Tahiel Jimenez, Sarah Kopp, Sidney Pilarski, Ally Rhoades, Morgan Rogers and Catherine Ruekert.

During the five-day Pay It Forward bus tour, students not only visited two college campuses, but also rolled up their sleeves and took part in a variety of service projects. BMS shared a bus with Blaine and Champlin Park students, so the total group of over 40 teenagers and chaperones not only did cleaning and maintenance work at the churches where they stayed, but also did some planting in a St. Louis city park, worked at both a used clothing store and a food shelf in Decorah, Iowa, played Bingo and put on a talent show at a nursing home in Davenport, Iowa, and helped clean up a neighborhood in Litchfield, Illinois. Considering the size and the energy of the group, one of the BSM student leaders, Sarah Kopp says, “What took us three hours would have taken one volunteer at least three weeks. It mattered.”

But was it enjoyable? Sarah exclaims, “I’d do it again in a heartbeat.” She is confident that her fellow travelers would agree that this experience brought a change in perspective toward volunteering. Another student leader, Morgan Rogers, agrees. “Going somewhere else and seeing what that community needs makes you realize what you can do in your own community too.”

Pay It Forward sparked a fire in the group participants to take a closer look at how they can help others more. And that’s what paying it forward is all about.

Francesca Sifferlin

Think of a student group at BSM that helps others in some way, and junior Francesca Sifferlin is probably a part of it.

Francesca, during her Jamaica mission trip

First of all, there is Red Knight Volunteer Corps, which allows over 300 Red Knights to give their time and energy to various individuals and groups around the area. Francesca’s membership in RKVC has also led her to be a part of the newly-formed Student Leadership Forum. This group is made up of several BSM student group leaders, working together to coordinate activities and plans for the school year.

However, Francesca’s extracurricular involvement doesn’t stop there. She is also involved in Knightlife, Students for Fair Labor, the Environmental Club, Link Crew, the Red Carpet Club, Students for Human Life and is a class board member. “I love meeting all of the different people at school, both students and teachers.”

Quiet, but generous, about stewardship, Francesca doesn’t limit her volunteer efforts to BSM activities. A few summers ago, she was the youngest traveler on a church mission trip to Ghana, and in June, another mission trip adventure led her to Jamaica. Then in August, she participated in Notre Dame Vision, a weeklong, faith-based leadership camp, which helped motivate her to continue serving others. “Religion is important to me, and I keep it central in my life,” says Francesca. That philosophy may explain why she also serves as a Eucharistic Minister and a Sunday school teacher at Our Lady of Grace. Additionally, she enjoys stocking food shelves at S.T.E.P. and is constantly seeking new ways to give back to her community. As she states, “It just makes me really happy as a person to do these things.”

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James Cave & Dave Kuntz

Hawaii. Mexico. Europe. These are common vacation destinations, but for James Cave and Dave Kuntz, Rwanda has been on their travel itinerary for the past three summers. They initially visited Rwanda in 2007 as a way to add greater depth to curriculum for a junior high class, titled Genocide and Social Justice. They were so affected by their time in Rwanda, however, that they not only made plans to return, but also continued collection efforts at BSM for supplies to share with several Rwandan groups.

James & Dave on their recent trip

During their first visit, they offered several hundred pounds of soccer gear, donated by BSM families and others to Rwandan children. In 2008, James and Dave retraced some of their same steps abroad, bringing more donations with them. One of the beneficiaries of this generosity was a family that opened their home to James and Dave during their travels. The father of this large household, Bosco Habimana, wrote to James, thanking him for the donations, saying, “I appreciate all you do for me and the love that you show me…that makes me feel that I have relatives on the other continent.”

Recently, James and Dave returned from a third trip to Rwanda, this time taking 19 students and a couple of other chaperones with them. Part of the preparation involved lessons in stewardship. By sharing cultural information about Rwanda, James and Dave educated the BSM community about the country’s needs. Beyond some of the regular donations, additional offerings were collected at BSM Masses, through the Common Basket Program, to benefit Rwandan orphanages and families and other organizations.

James and Dave have contributed countless hours to not only directly bringing aid to those in Rwanda, but also modeling to others how important it is to be a servant on the front lines. Responding to why they chose to bring others with them to experience Rwanda, Dave says, “It was important to us that the students meet the people who will benefit from the generosity of the BSM community: the Habimana family, the children at Imbabazi Orphanage, and the children serviced by the Amahoro Integrated Development Program (AIDP).”

One student wrote on the trip blog about distributing donations at an orphanage. “All of the kids were very cute, and were very happy when we delivered them our duffel bag full of children's books.” Another student mentioned the experience of bringing items to Bosco’s family, which includes several adopted orphan children (as a result of the genocide). “The neighborhood was staring in through their window. It was so cute. Everything is amazing,” she wrote.

James and Dave plan to bring another student group to Rwanda in Summer 2011. Through AIDP, it costs $2,400 to build a house for a widow and five orphans (AIDP thinks this is a better approach than having orphanages) and purchase a small piece of land and a goat or two. Dave and James will lead efforts to sponsor the creation of one of these homes. If you are interested in contributing to this or future student trips to Rwanda, please contact the main office.

Katie Collver

Being part of a varsity sports team is not only a big time commitment, but also an honor. One Red Knight softball player is determined to not forget where she came from in achieving this accomplishment.

Katie (in yellow) helps lead camp activities

A few months ago, senior Katie Collver recognized the need for a peer mentor in the BSM softball program and stepped up to the plate. On a regular basis throughout the season, she offered assistance whenever the lower-level players needed tips or just encouragement. “If I’m not busy,” she says, “I figure I might as well see if they needed help at all.” Whether it was giving advice about catching or hitting, or simply being an enthusiastic fan at games, she considered these other girls’ games as important as her own.

Katie hopes to continue covering many bases with her volunteer efforts. Bound for Augsburg College, she is planning on leading a Daisy Girl Scouts Club while in college and may also sign on with the Big Brother/Big Sister Program. “There’s just something about helping out someone younger than you,” says Katie, remembering how she, herself, used to look up to students that were her current age.

For three summers, Katie has volunteered as a Counselor-in-Training at nearby Girl Scout camps, and this year is being “promoted” to being a paid counselor. Other ways that she has served her community have been by participating in Race for the Cure, the Night Out on the Street and a Make-a-Wish fundraiser. Since her mom works at General Mills, a sponsoring organization for Make-a-Wish, Katie enjoyed donning the Pillsbury Dough Boy outfit for a promotional event. Perhaps a Little League coaching uniform will be something that she also wears proudly some day.

Andy Kalb

Junior Andy Kalb is becoming known for asking one particular question while volunteering: “What can I do to help?” Whatever the answer is to that question, Andy is more than willing to lend a hand. From serving at soup kitchens to setting up chairs for BSM Masses, no job is too small for him. He’ll do what needs to be done, all the time wearing a smile and working hard.

Andy, center, enjoys time with fellow Relay For Life participants.

An agency worker sent an e-mail to BSM earlier this year, complimenting the students who had participated in a Bowling for Books drive. She said of Andy, specifically, “He was very professional and mature and had the most compliments and the most responsibility (he was assigning event participants to bowling lanes and managing the wait list).” Remembering the event himself, Andy says, “I didn’t even feel like I was volunteering; it was just so much fun.”

Other sources of enjoyment for him include volunteering for Mary’s Place, Relay For Life, Special Olympics and more. He helps the BSM admissions office by giving presentations at grade schools, spends time with the Little Knights, leads Knight Life activities, serves as a Link Crew leader and tries “to do an RKVC [Red Knight Volunteer Corps] event every weekend…I always like to keep busy,” he adds. After an experience at Feed My Starving Children, he proposed the opportunity to his Red Knight football coach and is now organizing a group of teammates to go there and serve.

He admits that he especially likes helping children and junior high students, keeping in mind, “I remember thinking high school was the coolest thing.” And luckily, those youngsters have one cool role model in Andy Kalb.

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Katie McClurg

One of the concepts about service-learning that the BSM faculty conveys to students is that serving others should meet the genuine and authentic needs of theirs. Junior Katie McClurg gets it. While it’s sometimes tempting for volunteers to perform tasks that are comfortable for them, Katie does what needs to be done.

Katie, helping deliver flowers

For several years, Katie has taught Sunday school at her church. Interested in the medical field, she also began volunteering at Methodist Hospital in October to complete course requirements for Service Leadership class. “Why not combine the two?” she thought. Eager to encourage her 5-year-old students to make greeting cards for hospital patients, she sought approval for the project from hospital staff members. Although happy to accept the cards, they conveyed to Katie that an immediate need they had was for someone to organize their flower storage room. No problem, thought Katie, remembering the service-learning lesson that “we’re supposed to focus on a real need.” So she set to work organizing the room, and has also been delivering flowers to patients ever since.

As for the cards, her students did implement this continual art project, with nearly 100 to their credit already. “It gets them thinking about helping already at a young age,” Katie says of her students.

Extremely organized and adaptable, Katie also responded to another local request. She and friend Rose Geiwitz are coordinating a Prom dress collection for Elk River High School girls in need of a gown. There days after BSM service coordinator Lisa Lenhart-Murphy received a request from Elk River teacher and BSM graduate Jenna Nilson (’99) of the need for dresses, Katie and Rose approached Mrs. Lenhart-Murphy, wanting (coincidentally) to do a dress drive. The match was made. They advertised the effort at school, and plan to offer dresses, donated by the BSM community, to several girls.

Speaking of why she chooses to get involved in this type of project, Katie says, “Service has always been a part of my life. It’s something that I look forward to doing.” She demonstrates that joy not only at church and at the hospital, but also at Feed My Starving Children, Mary’s Place and on her neighborhood tennis courts, where she regularly gives impromptu lessons to younger children in the area. A mom of one such young player applauds Katie’s efforts, saying that she is a “great role model” for her daughter and a “truly compassionate person.”

Ellie Jaskowiak

“It’s perfect for me,” says sophomore Ellie Jaskowiak of volunteering at Children’s Hospitals and Clinics of Minnesota. Since September, she has been spending virtually every Saturday morning at Children’s Hospital, interacting with patients. For Ellie, the time there is not fulfilling

Ellie with a new friend from her trip to Mexico

any school or church obligation; it’s just something she felt she had to do. Interested in a career in medicine and fueled by a love of kids, she brought the idea of volunteering at Children’s Hospital to Mr. Zeckser, who not only encouraged her, but also wrote a recommendation on her behalf. Ellie says that the experience “combines all the things I love.”

Speaking of things she loves: her mom even joins her in this volunteer endeavor. Together, they spend three to four hours each week, assisting on the outpatient floors. One would think that they could visit numerous patients in that amount of time, but Ellie explains that she tries to limit her encounters to one or two patients each week, making sure that she spends quality time with them. Crafts, reading, and coloring are common activities, but she is happy to help with paperwork, when needed too. Sometimes newborn babies with feeding tubes simply need a little cuddling or teenagers need a competitive opponent for a video game. “I honestly enjoy it,” admits Ellie. “If I were in this situation, I would want someone to be there for me. Besides, I get just as much—if not more—out of it.”

She has also volunteered at Feed My Starving Children, Good Will, an urban immersion house in Minneapolis, and at her church, even attending a mission trip to Mexico. However, providing TLC to children in the hospital is an especially perfect fit for her right now.

Mike Hansberry

Some of the incoming Red Knights this year were probably looking for one particular familiar face—that of Mike Hansberry. Mike, a senior, has helped out the BSM Admissions Office the past two years by sharing BSM’s story at area grade schools. “That was so much fun!” says Mike of the experiences. His enthusiasm for the school was also evident on a video that he voluntarily helped produce for BSM.

Mike, serving as a Eucharistic Minister

One of two senior peer ministry leaders at BSM’s “Fun in the Son” Christian service camp, last summer, he is open about discussing not only his faith walk with others, but also his teenage years in general. Younger students benefit from his knowledge as he serves as a Link Crew leader, and peers respect his guidance offered through Knightlife and Peer Ministry.

Mike’s volunteer endeavors create a long list, but he is sincere about each opportunity and says of helping others, “It’s just who I am and what I want to be.” He seeks no recognition for his service work, which has become second nature to him. Although busy last fall playing basketball, he often left directly from practice to volunteer at Loaves and Fishes, (logging approximately 50 hours there last year) before returning home to begin homework. Feed My Starving Children and Mary’s Place are other organizations that have received his time.

Especially enjoying his interactions with formative junior high students, he strives to influence them in a positive way. Helping out at Respect Retreats and Courage Retreats, sponsored by Youth Frontiers, Mike finds the events truly enjoyable. And mentioning the next BSM retreat at which he will be volunteering, he says with a huge smile, “I’m super psyched!”

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Arturo Schultz

“It is easy to simply donate money, food, clothes, etc.,” junior Arturo Shultz wrote in a Christian Service class paper. “But because of my service, I believe that it is more important to disregard the barriers that separate people and share life with them.”

Arturo, reading to some of the Little Knights

Sharing his life and time with others has kept Arturo quite busy, but you’ll never hear him complain about it. As part of his Christian Service class work last semester, Arturo volunteered with the Little Knights day care at school, where he made several new, young friends.

However, his volunteer endeavors didn’t stop there. He also helped out at the Twin Cities Marathon in the medical tent and worked in the warehouse at Bridging, receiving items and processing orders for donated furniture.

Also this year, he participated in the Pay It Forward tour during MEA break, served at his church’s Oktoberfest and at Mary’s Place, where he tutored and assisted with the summer reading program—something he plans to continue doing this summer. He was also chosen as the student speaker to promote the Common Basket Program during Homecoming Mass, where he shared a testimony about sharing time with others.

A Ghana traveler last year, he appreciated the opportunity that this service-learning trip gave him to spend his Spring Break doing something meaningful. “Although I cannot say that I will find the cure for cancer or end world hunger, I can say that if I continue to serve, I can help the world,” says Arturo.

Natalie LeSage

In mid-July, junior Natalie LeSage participated in a mission trip through her church, Most Holy Trinity. Together with her mom and about two dozen others, she traveled to Honduras, where she spent time volunteering in an orphanage that is sponsored by Nuestros Pequenos Hermanos (NPH). Upon her return, Natalie felt overwhelmed with the need to continue helping the orphanage. “I just wanted to do something for them,” says Natalie. “They didn’t have a lot, but they’re still so happy…It really put my life in perspective.”

She turned to the Internet, researching various fundraising options. Custom-designed bracelets, similar to the “Live Strong” silicone bracelets, which raise awareness and funds for cancer research, caught her attention. Since Nuestros Pequenos Hermanos translates to “our little brothers and sisters,” Natalie chose this phrase for her bracelets, with a Web site for a supporting organization, Friends of the Orphans (friendsUS.org), listed on them, as well.

Armed with 1,000 green, orange, red and blue bracelets, Natalie is now on a selling mission to raise funds for NPH. She has sold the bracelets at her church, and has given PowerPoint presentations to some BSM classes, making them aware of her cause and decorating a few of the students—at $2 a bracelet, along the way.

Friends of the Orphans has invited her to present at an upcoming meeting, and Natalie’s youth director has agreed to shave his beard upon Natalie reaching a certain selling milestone. Always positive, Natalie is hopeful of selling all of her bracelets, sure to do so while maintaining her high GPA.

She plans to either return to Honduras or to join the Red Knights in going to an NPH orphanage during the annual Guatemala mission trip this summer. A longer-range goal for her includes spending a year volunteering in Central America. Natalie also volunteers as a Side By Side Ministries retreat leader and a teacher’s assistant for Perspectives. However, a big focus for her these days is to sell a whole bunch of bracelets!

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Fran Roby

Often we recognize servant leaders here at BSM for an amazing volunteer experience. But Fran Roby hasn’t been involved with just one impressive service activity recently. He’s had a variety of them.

During MEA weekend, Fran, a guidance counselor at BSM, was a chaperone for the Pay It Forward trip. Sponsored by the Students Today, Leaders Forever organization, the “Pay It Forward Tour” was a five-day trip, in four cities, involving three service projects and two college tours. BSM sent 15 students, along with Fran, who raved that the trip was “an incredible opportunity for the students to not only do service work, but learn about leadership.”

Fran, working with students at Feed My Starving Children

In late October, some BSM social studies classes participated in a volunteer endeavor at Feed My Starving Children. When Fran got the call to see if he wanted to help chaperone, he said, “I can do that; sure.”

Several months ago, Fran was involved in Project Homeless Connect, a one-stop shop model for delivering services to people experiencing homelessness. Fran was on hand to accompany people in need to the different resources available to them. He will soon attend another training session to repeat the experience in a couple of months.

To alleviate any excess free time in his life, Fran serves as an ESL tutor at Holy Rosary Catholic Church in Minneapolis for two hours every Tuesday evening. Introduced to teaching ESL by his daughters, Katie (‘03) and Bridget (‘06), Fran noticed what the girls had learned and decided that he, too, had an interest in helping in this way. Now, with about a dozen hours of training behind him, he is teaching several students, who are mostly Spanish-speakers. Learning Spanish on the Internet and getting occasional tips from the BSM Spanish teachers help Fran with this responsibility.

ESL teaching is not the only way that Fran collaborates on service experiences with his family members. Daughter Bridget, after befriending a young man from Sudan, began volunteering with the Lost Boys of Sudan organization. Fran soon became involved and has organized an opportunity to bring this gentleman to speak to BSM students later this year, but humbly explains that many other faculty members have helped make arrangements. “I just responded to an e-mail,” says Fran.

Speaking of his volunteer activities, Fran states, “It’s a good feeling knowing you’re taking some part of your time and giving it to others. It doesn’t feel like a sacrifice. This is fun!”

BSM applauds Fran’s efforts…each and every one of them.

Anna Landis

This year 9th grader Anna Landis joined the senior high Red Knight Volunteer Corps, but the idea of sharing with others is no new concept for her. Last spring, as an eighth grader, Anna heard about the request made by junior high teachers James Cave and Dave Kuntz for items and

Anna shows her culinary skills.

monetary donations that they were collecting for a Rwandan family.

During the summer of 2007, James and Dave traveled to Rwanda to research the culture of the country for junior high course curriculum. While there, they met and befriended a man named Bosco. Bosco and his wife have eight biological children and have adopted four more who were victims of the genocide that took place in that country. Planning a Summer 2008 return trip, James and Dave hoped to be able to bring some help to Bosco and his family.

Anna took the call for help very seriously. She began to ask relatives and friends if she could provide them with a simple meal—usually soup, bread and cookies, which she prepared in her home, in exchange for a cash donation for Bosco. Less than two weeks…and several empty soup bowls later, Anna, counting matching funds from her parents as well, had accumulated approximately $600. She presented the donation to James and Dave at her junior high graduation, surprising them. In all, James and Dave received nearly $3,000 and 250 pounds of clothes, shoes and other items for Bosco. So overwhelmed with the outpouring of support, they distributed a portion of the proceeds to an orphanage in Rwanda as well.

When asked why she decided to initiate this fundraising effort, Anna said, “I felt like it was just the right thing to do. Instead of just asking for money, I wanted to do something too. You get so much more that way. I enjoyed it so much!” Anna plans to continue her fundraising efforts to be able to send more donations to Rwanda next summer, when James and Dave will lead a trip there.

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This past summer, two BSM faculty members, Spanish teacher Katie McDonald and freshman dean Nicole Rasmussen, led a mission trip to Guatemala. Katie and Nicole’s time away from home was more than two weeks in late June, during which, they welcomed two different Red Knight student groups, each with over 20 students, to an orphanage in Guatemala. Nuestros Pequeños Hermanos (NPH) in San Andres, Guatemala, is home to nearly 400 children, and as Nicole stated, upon the Minnesotans’ arrival, “We became part of the family.”

While certainly all of those who participated in the Guatemala trip are servant leaders in their own right, the leadership and compassion that Katie and Nicole brought to their roles was remarkable. This was Katie’s third year and Nicole’s second year as trip leaders for this experience, and this year, they were at the site over twice as long as other group participants, eagerly engaging in all aspects of the trip experience.

However, regardless of how much the BSM group helped NPH, Nicole states, “They give you more than you can possibly give them.” Katie agrees, saying, “You think you’re going to change their life, but they change yours.”

Both Katie and Nicole feel their lives have been impacted dramatically by not only the Guatemala trip, but also by all of the service work in which they take part. They are clear role models for the BSM community, sometimes taking leftover food from BSM social events and distributing it to homeless people in Minneapolis. Also, Nicole is training her dog to be approved to visit residents in nursing homes to offer them companionship and comfort.

Katie and Nicole stress the profound appreciation they gained for other cultures, by the hospitality that was modeled by the Guatemalans. Whether it’s in the United States, where they realize there are also overwhelming needs, or by visiting other countries, these two BSM teachers feel extremely rewarded and humbled by their own ability to be involved in service work. “It’s my responsibility as a Christian to use my resources and gifts to help others,” says Katie.

Gabi Mgeni

It was through a Service Leadership class project during the first semester of her junior year when Gabrielle Mgeni whet her appetite for volunteering at Minneapolis-based House of Charity. House of Charity’s four areas of service include providing needy people with meals, housing, chemical dependency treatment and training in computer literacy. Initially, Gabi helped with a clothing drive for the organization, but after she later began working in the Food Centre, her efforts really began to heat up.

Gabi working at the Food Centre

The Food Centre regularly feeds nearly 300-350 people each day, but an unreliable oven made that task extremely difficult. Learning about the burned out oven from Food Services Director Michael Bennett, Gabi decided to lead a fundraiser for a new one. “The fact that she took it upon herself to do that is amazing,” says Michael.

Gabi began the plan by calling suppliers and researching ovens. She presented Michael with some options, who explains that “she managed to come up with a price that was nearly $1,700 cheaper than what we had.”

Gabi’s next step was to send out e-mails to family and friends, asking for donations for this cause. After about a month of fundraising, Gabi had exceeded her goal and arranged for payment and delivery of a new gas convection oven.

Michael says, “The oven that we had prior to this one would either undercook or burn the products. Now we have this brand new piece of equipment that allows us to cook evenly and to even know exactly what time to start cooking.”

With excess money from the campaign, Gabi is arranging for the purchase of a new ice machine for the Food Centre as well. She continues to volunteer at the Food Centre, where the new oven is getting rave reviews.

Combining ingredients of compassion and ambition, Gabi Mgeni clearly demonstrates the concept of being a servant leader.

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When an elderly woman didn’t know where else to look for assistance with shoveling her driveway, she called BSM. Realizing that BSM staff member Mark Snell lived very close to this woman, service-learning coordinator Lisa Lenhart-Murphy asked him if he would be interested in helping her on an as-needed basis. “Without hesitation, he said ‘yes,’” explains Lisa, who, knowing Mark well, was not at all surprised.

As his fellow faculty and staff members clearly recognize, Mark is the type of person who is willing to lend a helping hand, regardless of thanks, pay, attention or convenience. The Staff of the Year Award recipient in 2003, Mark is on the maintenance staff at BSM, but has played a number of other roles since joining the Red Knight ranks in the early 90s. He has coached cross country, basketball, baseball, football, and track and field, and been the junior high athletic director, the strength and speed training coordinator, the basketball tournament director, the transportation coordinator, the sophomore class advisor, and a substitute teacher.

He welcomed this opportunity to shovel for a neighbor in need and states, “I think giving back to the community is a big thing. It’s huge. I think everybody should give back, just because of how it makes you feel.” Mark is currently also volunteering as a coach for an AAU basketball team and has been an active volunteer for S.T.E.P., a nearby food shelf.

Mark’s neighbor, who is disabled and lives alone, is very grateful for the help. She needs a quick response to the snow so that her driveway and sidewalks are accessible, and Mark never disappoints. When he knows that he will be out of town or unavailable, he even arranges for a substitute shoveler, just in case it snows.

Although he has put away the shovel for now, he will make sure it’s ready to go when the snow returns. “I’ll definitely continue helping her out again next winter. It’s just what you do,” he says, smiling.

Meredith Montana & Emily Moore

Prom can be a very special event in a high school student’s life. It can also be a very expensive event. Meredith Montana and Emily Moore understand both of these concepts first-hand, so when Emily read an article last year about Operation Glass Slipper, she decided to get involved with the organization for her Christian Service class project.

Meredith & Emily show off a couple of the dresses collected for Operation Glass Slipper

As stated on its Web site, “Operation Glass Slipper is a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing prom gowns and accessories at no charge to high school girls in the greater Minneapolis-St. Paul area whose financial circumstances make it impossible for them to purchase prom apparel.”

Meredith quickly joined Emily in collecting prom dresses and accessories from the BSM community last year. “People are so generous,” says Emily, and Meredith explains that often, people just have dresses that they will likely not ever where again in their closet. “Why not give them to someone who needs them?” she suggests.

Operation Glass Slipper was so successful at BSM last year, that the two girls wanted—now without the incentive of class credit—to repeat the efforts this year. As Emily states, “It was really fun, so we decided to do it again.”

They spent numerous days after school accepting donations. Then, once the items were collected, they delivered them to the Mall of America, where an Open House was held for girls to shop. Over the course of the two donation drives, Meredith and Emily collected approximately 150 dresses. Emily also volunteered at the shopping event, where last year’s dresses were offered. (This year’s dresses will be available next year.)

As Emily sums up, “It’s a great way to give back what you’ve been blessed with.” And there are about 150 Twin Cities girls who are blessed by the time and efforts of Meredith and Emily.

Patrick, posing with the two carts that he secured for PRISM

Patrick Bakken

As Jessica Kelly, an employee from PRISM (People Responding in Social Ministry), explains, a lot of volunteers ask what they can do to help. BSM senior Patrick Bakken is different. Patrick, who had previously volunteered with PRISM even before being assigned to do a service project for his Service Leadership class at BSM, wanted to take his volunteering one step further. Jessica says that Patrick “was always taking initiative and finding ways on his own to help.” In regard to his class project, that help came in the form of shopping carts for this community-funded social service agency.

PRISM, an agency that BSM’s service-learning program works with on a regular basis, provides families in need with food, financial assistance, transportation and other services in times of financial hardships. While volunteering there, Patrick noticed that the shopping carts, which were used to transport food from the warehouse to clients’ vehicles were in bad shape. That was enough to set his wheels in motion.

Patrick found out from some area grocery stores where shopping carts can be purchased. Then, he pushed the idea to his grandfather, whose foundation was willing to cover the cost for two carts, at $230 each...some assembly required. Patrick ordered them, picked them up about an hour-and-a-half away, put them together, and brought them to PRISM. As Jessica states, the carts have been “fabulous,” and Patrick is “amazing.” Patrick’s story is just one example of how Service Leadership students often view “leadership” just as seriously as “service.”


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