Photography provided by Jacqueline Morris-Rotich
On November 5, 2011, Jesuit again eagerly displayed its desire to help the needy and disaffected. The American/African Outreach Society (AAOS) held a soccer tournament on the lower practice field for Dallas’ African refugee community. The tournament was held specifically for the residents of the Shiloh Apartment complex, a home for African refugees.
“The first purpose was to welcome local, recent refugees to our campus here at Jesuit so that they could have a fun day filled with a cookout, playing soccer, and meeting new friends,” says Richard Perry, Jesuit’s director of community service. “It also serves as an opportunity for our students to be men for others and to learn the virtue of hospitality.”
Along with being a welcoming experience for the refugees, the event served as a fundraiser for the Jesuit Refugee Services (JRS). The Jesuit College Prep chapter of the JRS is specifically concerned with raising money for the refugee camp in Kakuma, Kenya. The goal for the year is to raise $4,000 for solar panels for the houses in Kakuma. The AAOS soccer tournament raised $1,250 for Kakuma.
The members of the AAOS, teachers, soccer coaches, and volunteers led the soccer tournament. The AAOS is led by Mr. Perry and its two founding students, Justin Rotich ’14 and Brocke Stepteau ’14. Stepteau says, “It was a great opportunity to give back to the less fortunate.”
Many Jesuit community members were involved, including 25 parents, 30 refugees, and 200 students. Participants formed 25 teams that competed throughout the day. Participating faculty members included history teacher David Pace, English teacher Ian Berry, assistant director of community service Anthony Mattachione, sophomore counselor and junior varsity soccer coach David Williams, and head soccer coach Charlie Delong.
When asked if the tournament was a success, Mr. Perry responded, “I think it is the most successful event of its kind that we have ever had. I don’t know of any event that raises that much money, you have that much fun, and you are also being men for others at the same time.”
The next event will be a relay event at Arbor Hills. Contact Mr. Perry or sophomores Justin Rotich and Brocke Stepteau with questions or interest.
