Elliott DeRose (left) and Evan Richey craft their own tri-colored rosaries using popular craft beads and twine.

KENMORE — Rosary making was recently taught to third-graders at St. John the Baptist School. The ornamental prayer beads, which emerged during the Middle Ages, continue to be a beloved, sacred tradition in honor of Jesus' mother, Mary, among Catholics.
Students crafted their own, tri-colored rosaries using popular craft beads and twine. The rosaries are particularly meaningful for the students, as they will be receiving the sacrament of First Holy Communion in May, the month traditionally devoted to the Blessed Mother.

"I have a very vivid memory of making my own rosary when I was in fifth grade," said Michelle DeRose, who volunteered to teach the children. "Although I myself was not raised Catholic, my parents sent me to a Catholic school where I grew up (outside of San Antonio)."

DeRose credits this event as being quite formative as she decided to be baptized into the Catholic Church shortly after making the rosaries. She  was baptized the following year in sixth-grade.  

"I recall I was baptized and then a couple months after that, I made my First Holy Communion," DeRose said. "I'm not one to cling to things in life, but I always kept that rosary I made in fifth-grade. It's very special to me. It's wonderful to be able to come in and help my son's classmates make their own rosaries that will hopefully hold special memories for them."