Located in an industrial strip mall and known for educating students who have experienced incarceration, trafficking, gang life, addiction, poverty or homelessness, St. Gemma Outreach High School can inspire trepidation on a first visit.

But, as Calgary Catholic Education Foundation (CCEF) executive director Janet Lymer and many others have discovered since the school opened more than two years ago, apprehension quickly gives way to awe upon walking through the front doors.

“It is the warmest atmosphere when you walk in,” beamed Lymer. “Everybody is there trying to help these students. These students are doing their coursework and getting assistance where needed.”

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St. Gemma’s teaching staff is currently working with 37 students aged 16-20. A wellness worker is always on hand to help students access the resources they need for success and a part-time psychologist is employed. The maximum student body capacity in this space is 40 students. 

Inspired by what she observed and motivated to be “the hands and feet of Jesus,” Lymer suggested that the CCEF, with participation from Calgary Catholic School District (CCSD), provide each of the 37 students with a Christmas stocking with goodies, toiletries and other useful items.

Don't get Lymer wrong: the longtime contributor to Calgary's non-profit sector does consider securing grant funding, developing playgrounds and supporting classrooms through community-based, innovative learning experiences such as the Campus Calgary/Open Minds program as important deeds. But she suggested this Christmas outreach shows the foundation at its most purposeful.

“If we can actually take our actions and support a student to ensure we're giving them that helping hand… just so they know there are people out there caring for them,” said Lymer. “It might be enough of a confidence booster for them to be able to say, ‘people are looking out for me. I'm going to stay on the right path.’ ”

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Principal Gord MacDonald expressed appreciation for CCEF and the school board’s efforts on behalf of the students, as it helps create “a community that cares for one another.” Manifestly, the passion for giving to St. Gemma is a popular notion as additional Catholic schools are donating Christmas hampers this month.

“I'm not sure that the students who have come to us necessarily feel that schools care about them,” said MacDonald. “I think the fact that they see all these gifts (is) a little bit overwhelming for them. They're a little surprised sometimes, but it's definitely a moment of joy and relief that there are people out there who are willing to help them out.”

Based on the breakthroughs students are achieving, it has proven to be a worthwhile endeavour to support St. Gemma.  

“Students come in having not been successful in school for a variety of reasons,” said MacDonald. “School to them is actually a negative place. Watching them come to us and slowly start to realize school can be a good place, fun and open a lot of doors is probably the most rewarding part of the job.”

Motivating students to become enchanted with the power of a quality of education is an important component of St. Gemma’s overarching goal of helping these young men and women author redemptive and restorative chapters in their lives.

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Lymer, an alumnus of the Catholic Women's Leadership Foundation (CWLF), stressed the importance of the CCEF, CCSD and the St. Gemma never ruling these teenagers out.

“Society judges these students enough, especially when they have already been labelled,” said Lymer. “We don’t look at the label. I do not look at a child’s background or where they’ve come from. I just ask ‘what do you need? I’m here to help.’ ”