News and Announcements
Selfless Service
On November 10, after the school’s celebration of the annual Veterans Mass, current teacher and veteran Mark Risen honored his colleague Sherrie Bashaw with a military unit “challenge” coin. Military units give these out for rising to challenges, recognition for achievements, upon departing a unit, etc. Sherrie was honored with a coin from Mark’s last unit, Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, the 355th Tactical Fighter Wing. Mark offered many reasons Sherrie deserved the challenge coin including, “She is always selflessly serving behind the scenes.” Selfless service is a core military value.
Here are just a few examples of things that Sherrie does to support Blanchet’s students, staff and her community: She makes and delivers cupcakes for every student on their birthday; she organizes the collection and washing of shoes for the 1000 Soles program and helps kids affected by homelessness; she and her leadership class decorate the halls with posters of support for all the sports teams and activities as well as create tags for all the students who participate in sports, activities and fine arts; she advises the Students for Change Club and spends hours doing random act of kindness at Blanchet and in the community; she retired from coaching volleyball but has volunteered her time every season since to help the program continue to succeed; she works with kids to send encouragement cards to one another throughout the year; she started and organizes the annual Veterans Mass and Blue Mass honoring other selfless servants in our community; and the list goes on and on.
Mark said, “I felt her selfless service, let alone the fact that it was our Veterans Day Mass and she was the choreographer (once again), was the perfect setting to give her the challenge coin.” In his presentation, Mark asked each student to stand if they had been on the receiving end of Sherrie’s selfless service. The gym was filled with applause as students stood to celebrate a well deserved recognition for an amazing teacher and role model.
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Teacher Recognized by City of Salem
Middle school teacher Sherrie Bashaw was selected to receive the City of Salem’s Youth Achievement Award from Salem Mayor Chuck Bennett and the Salem City Council. The award recognized Sherrie’s volunteer service with the 1000 Soles/Shoe Battle of the Schools Shoe Drive. Sherrie was honored during the November 23, 2020 City Council meeting when they hosted an award ceremony for local volunteers. She and one of her students were personally presented the award from Mayor Bennett.
Sherrie and her Leadership classes have worked tirelessly to help local homeless youth find shoes through 1000 Soles/Shoe Battle of the Schools Shoe Drive. Over the past three years, the Blanchet Catholic School community has brought in over 2,700 pairs of shoes for the organization. Also over the past three years, Blanchet Catholic School has won the Shoe Battle of the Schools trophy.
Laurie Shaw Casarez, the Youth Development and Prevention Coordinator with the City of Salem, said this about Blanchet Catholic School’s impact on local homeless youth, “Thank you in a huge way for your heart to help your peers in this community. Particularly kids who just need a decent pair of shoes on their feet every year. Thank you from the bottom of my heart. You inspire me.”